The White Demon
by mainegirlwrites
Summary: The Winchesters discover an extraordinary young woman, Julia, possessed by an powerful, but altruistic, white demon. Together they must fend off the evil black demon who seeks her abilities for its own dark purposes.But do Julia's loyalties lie with the Winchesters, or is she eager to embrace the malevolent dark powers of her enemy? And will Sam sleep with a demon again?
1. Chapter 1

**The White Demon**

**Prologue**

_**Ella**_

The young girl pushed herself up off the ground, spitting blood and dirt from her mouth. She stood up slowly and swallowed hard, wiping the mud and spit off her chin with the back of her hand. She stared at her enemy, standing a mere twenty feet away, and forced her long, slender hands out in front of her.

"_Not yet!_" she screamed, her voice cracking with exhaustion. She felt her heart beat arhythmically, and marveled at the fact that it still beat at all. She pointed her palms at the black, amorphous form that challenged her. "I'm not done, not yet!"

For a brief moment, the woods were quiet. Soft tendrils that had come loose from her long braid of brown hair lifted off the back of her neck in the gentle breeze. A brave bird sang a lonely three-note song, then fell quiet again. Leaves above her head rustled, and she raised her eyes towards them, longingly looking at the clear blue sky. Her hands dropped to her sides.

She thought of her family, back at the ranch. Her two brothers, her mother, her dad. Little Timothy would help her mother with the chores, and when he grew up, he would help Pa and Nathan with the cattle. She thought of those who had touched her short life - her teacher from the one-room schoolhouse. The kind pastor at the local church. The darling boy from the next town, who often took lengthy rides to come visit her. She had been gone for so long, she wondered if they still thought about her. She sent out a prayer to them, asking for strength.

As weak as she was, she was not going to give up.

The shifting shape of her enemy could barely sustain a human-like aspect, but it raised its semi-formed arms up over its head, forcing its palms together. It spread its hands, producing a glowing orb between its palms. The orb crackled ominously, creating a power that made the girl's head hum.

She locked her knees so they would not buckle. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly, compelling the pain away, attempting to center her nerves and her strength. She raised her hands again, willing the force within her to rise. She felt the power flow up through her body and focused it to and out of her hands. The effort made her vision cloud and she sank to the ground as her knees buckled, a sob rising in her throat.

Her enemy was unaffected by her insignificant burst of power. He was strong now, and she was weak. The girl knew her fate, but silenced her bitter sob with bared teeth. Her eyes remained on the demon's faceless form. She raised her chin in final defiance. She would not make her defeat easy.

The black demon walked over to the girl, still balancing the orb between its upraised hands. It stood beside her kneeling form and began to spread apart its arms, stretching and growing the orb. The girl bowed her head and dug her clenched hands into her eyes, calling on any power that remained within her. She felt it waver inside her like a flickering candle, finally extinguishing, but she was not afraid. The orb enveloped both of them. Her time had come.

In a sudden explosion of energy and supernatural power, the two forms became one.

The girl's last prayer was that the next white demon would succeed where she had not.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Two Hundred Years Later

**_Julia_**

Julia felt terrible. She wished she hadn't allowed her college roommate, Maggie, talk her into going out tonight. Maggie swung the car into the Gas Mart parking lot to fill up the tank.

"Mags...," she began, her voice croaking. "I think you should just drop me back home. I just want to be in bed." She brushed her long, blonde hair off her face, feeling the burn of a fever on her cheek.

Maggie, brown eyes and lush curly locks bouncing around her head, turned to her, with a half-sympathetic, half-determined smile.

"You will feel so much better after you meet this guy!" Maggie exclaimed. "I've been wanting to hook the two of you up, like, forever! It will be so fun, Jules, I promise. Just let me get gas and we'll get to the restaurant. Once you eat you'll feel better."

Maggie jumped out of the car to begin filling the tank, and Julia slid out of the passenger side and walked into the store for a bottled water. The thought of food made her stomach twist, but there was no changing a determined Maggie's mind. The harsh fluorescent lights of the store made her squint and grimace, and she shielded her eyes with her hand. The clerk behind the counter looked up from his phone and narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

Her face now felt like a mini-inferno, exuding a heat of its own. A slow trickle of sweat ran down her back. Julia's legs felt weak, and she stumbled into an exceptionally tall young man reading a magazine. He grabbed her arm and looked at her worriedly.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

Julia mumbled an apology and gulped down the nausea climbing in her throat. If she could just get to the water...the cooler was so far away, like in one of those dreams where you try to run to something but the faster you run the farther away it seems...her legs buckled and Julia inwardly winced, knowing the impact of her face with the floor was inevitable.

But she didn't feel it. A strong hand grasped her arm instead, pulling her up like a rag doll, and she was being held in the arms of the man who had been reading the magazine. She wanted to thank him, to ask him to help her, but she couldn't open her mouth to say the words. Julia felt her body sink down into a pit of exhaustion.

Julia dimly heard the store door open and Maggie's footsteps run towards her. Maggie's hands were on Julia's arm, pulling and shouting. Julia felt her head loll back, but the stranger expertly shifted so her head rested against his shoulder.

"It's okay, I'm a med student. I'll bring her right to the hospital, okay? Just give my brother here your phone number. Don't worry. She's going to be all right now." Julia felt the rumble of the young man's voice through her head on his shoulder, but consciousness was slipping away.

_Don't worry, Mags...you heard him...I'm going to be all right now..._

Then black.

Julia smelled rain. Like after the rain. Like the cool scent of air that was scrubbed clean by a summer shower, bringing a clear blue sky. She was still in the man's arms, and she felt her body lift and shift as he adjusted his hold on her.

He was the one that smelled like rain.

_Rain._

Julia was not afraid. The sounds, the smells, were so perfectly clear. She knew that the sky above, though her eyes were closed, was black but with brilliant stars. Julia could feel the steady thump of his heartbeat through her head as it lay upon the man's chest. She opened her mouth to speak but could only sigh.

"Is she awake?" another man's voice asked. She could smell him, too. He was leather and gunpowder to her.

"I don't know. Should we stop?" This voice was from the man who was carrying her. She felt the thick rumble of his voice. Deep, comforting.

"No, we're almost there. Let's keep going….unless she's too heavy for you."

"Jerk."

"Bitch."

Black again.

Julia felt the soft comfort of lying on a bed, a pillow under her head. Her eyes were open now, but it was black. She blinked several times only to realize she was awake, but it was night. Julia turned her head to one side and saw a motel room – a couch, a chair, a table, and a night stand with an alarm clock that was flashing _12:00, 12:00, 12:00_. The blinds of the large window overlooking the parking lot were partially open, letting in thin beams of moonlight or a street light.

Julia turned her head the other way – and was surprised to discover that there was a young man sleeping beside her. He was on the very edge of the bed, sleeping on his side, his head resting on his bent arm. He had pushed himself as far away from her as possible, a thought that strangely troubled her. The moonlight – or street light – revealed his soft, handsome features, and she listened to his slow, easy breaths. Julia turned her head again to look at the ceiling, at the black. Her senses were overwhelmed – she could smell that rain scent again and the smell of the old motel room. She felt every strand of thread that made the blanket under her, every seam of her clothes, and her bare feet. She had an intense feeling that her body was _more_ than it was just a few hours ago – something within her had changed. The flashing clock glared, her beating heart pounded.

Julia turned her head again to look at the man….he smelled like rain. Rain. His eyes were now open, watching Julia. They stared at each other intently for a moment. There was no fear between them.

There was suddenly a white light in her eyes – not in front of her eyes, but coming from within her. A lightning bolt of pain shot from Julia's head down her body and her back arched in fear and agony. Her fingers and toes curled and cramped and her body twisted. She felt heat well up uncontrollably inside her.

The young man shouted as he leaped to his feet. "Rain!" Julia pleaded, but he just stood over her, and she felt his uncertainty. Julia opened her mouth again but could not make a sound. It became black again.

* * *

**_Ella_**

Ella felt a tightness in her chest. For a moment, she stopped working the pump, and massaged the area over her heart. She was not able to stop for long, as a shout from her father pulled her from her daze, reminding her that the cattle needed water. She filled the bucket and hauled it awkwardly between her legs, drenching her prairie skirt as she stumbled over the rocky trail.

"Sorry, Pa," she apologized. Her father squinted into the rising sun and adjusted his hat. He nodded, not looking at her yet, deep in thought.

"Get another bucket, will you, Ella?"

"Sure, Pa."

She turned back up the trail, her legs suddenly leaden with an unexplainable fatigue. When she was out of sight of her father, she knelt on the trail, fighting the urge to lay down in the stiff, dry grass and close her eyes. She struggled to her feet, and back at the pump, submerged her face into the icy water that filled the bucket in order to wake up. She pulled her face out of the water with a gasp, feeling the hot sun dry her face almost instantly. Ella paused, her face to the sun, as she felt the last drops of water trickle down her neck and under her dress.

"Wake up, wake up," she sang to herself as she again struggled with the heavy bucket. She poured it into the cattle's trough, at the same time running through the list of morning chores in her head. The sun was rising quickly, casting its light and heat on the frontier below. Ella battled through her chores, finally collapsing at the breakfast table. Her father and older brother, Nathan, were just finishing their meal. Timothy, just a toddler, drank his milk noisily.

"Ella." her mother shook her shoulder gently. "Ella, you have to wake up, honey." Ella pulled her heavy head slowly off the kitchen table where she had fallen asleep next to her breakfast. Pa and Nathan were gone, and Timothy stared at her in amazement.

"Sorry, Momma. I'm just tired, so sorry, Momma," she mumbled. Her mother looked at Ella with concern. She ran a cool hand over her daughter's forehead.

"You feel so hot, Ella. Don't get sick now, you hear? We have a lot of work to get done on the ranch, and Pa and I need your help. Take Timothy outside and collect the eggs, please," she said.

"Yes, ma'am," Ella rose painfully to her feet, and took Timothy's hand. They walked outside and around the back of the house to the chicken coop. The little boy began collecting eggs from the protesting chickens as she scattered food scraps on the ground for the fowl.

"Ella glow!" Timothy squealed, pointing to his big sister.

"What?" she questioned him tiredly. As she went to sweep a strand of hair away from her eyes, she noticed her hand was glowing with a white light. Ella yelped and jumped, tripping over a large rooster and falling to the ground. The chicken scattered, squawking loudly.

Shaking and confused, she stared at her hands, now both of them glowing.

"Ella glow!" Timothy repeated, and as Ella looked up at him, his curious face becoming fearful. He began to cry.

Ella's mother came running out, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Ella?"

"Momma, we're all right. I'm sorry, I just fell." Ella shoved her hands into the folds of her skirt, where she could feel their warm glow between her legs. Ella's mother nodded, but looked at her with uncertainty. She ushered the toddler back inside the house.

"Your father needs you at the barn, Ella," she told her daughter over her shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am." It was not until her mother was out of sight and back in the house that she examined her hands, turning them over and flexing her fingers. They seemed fine. She gathered herself and stood up, brushing off her skirt.

Not wanting to keep her father waiting, she hurried to the barn.

* * *

_**Julia**_

Julia could feel herself slowly waking, but she kept her eyes closed. She heard the voices of the two men. In her half-conscious state, the words seemed muted, but soon became raised.

"How long do we have to babysit this meat suit? We don't even know what it is!"

"What _she_ is, Dean, and I don't know. As long as it takes. If you need a break, why don't you just go out for a while! I can take care of this," the man's voice gently coaxed. Julia knew that voice, even though previously it had only been a rumble she heard through his chest. It was Rain.

"Fine. I don't like what we've gotten ourselves into, that's all." Julia heard the creak of a leather jacket and the jingle of car keys. There was a brief silence, and she knew the other man - Dean - was looking at her for a moment. "Just call if anything happens." The motel door opened and closed. A car outside roared away.

She heard Rain sigh. Julia looked at him as he sat in the motel chair and ran his hand through his hair. When he glanced over at her, he was startled to see her eyes open, gazing at him.

It was the same man that had been sleeping beside her on the bed. The one who had been reading the magazine at the convenience store. The one who had carried her here.

"Hi," he stammered, and he pulled the chair over to her bedside. "My name is Sam…and you are Julia, right?" She opened her mouth to talk, but couldn't, and panicked. Here she was in a motel room, with two strange men – now one – and he knew her name.

"You're going to be okay, Julia. You've been through a lot and we are going to take care of you for awhile, okay?" He looked into her eyes. He was kind. But her loud heartbeat was suddenly deafening and she squeezed her eyes closed. The strange, white heat grew inside her and her chest felt full of electricity. Her hands tingled and suddenly felt like they were going to explode off the ends of her arms. Julia opened her eyes and raised her hands – they glowed an extraordinary white. The shape of her fingers was barely visible beneath the glow.

Sam stood up quickly, the chair pushed over behind him. "It's okay, all right? Just stay calm. You can control it. You're going to be all right, Julia!" There was worry in voice, and he backed away as if he was afraid that she could hurt him. Julia felt inside herself, looking out, and she became afraid for him.

The power rose inside her like a hot geyser and her hands glowed fiercely. Julia looked at them, stunned, not believing they could belong to her. She felt distanced, detached. He squinted his eyes and turned away from the bright light of her hands and clamped his hands over his ears. There was a sudden eerie silence, a total absence of sound, and Julia could see his lips move but could not hear what he was saying. His eyes were squeezed shut and he had backed up into the far corner of the room. The light filled the room. Then black.

* * *

_**Ella**_

Ella woke up to the sound of moaning. It took her a few seconds to realize it was her own moaning, and she quickly clamped her mouth shut. She listened for a few moments, then reassured that no one else in the small house was awake, swung her legs out of bed. Her limbs held her for a moment, then she fell to the floor. She could feel every splinter of wood under her fingers, smell every scent in the house and the ranch outside.

_What's happening to me? _she cried to herself.

She knew she had to leave this place. This power - of whatever it was - had been getting more and more unpredictable. She couldn't hide it anymore, and there had been several close calls. She had caused the cattle to startle so badly yesterday that little Thomas had almost gotten trampled. The day before, she had inadvertently killed a chicken when it had pecked her ankle.

Ella crawled forward, pulling herself along the floor with her elbows. She had to reach her trunk and change into her riding clothes. There was not time for second thoughts, for sentiment. She knew in her heart, it was time to go.

* * *

_**Julia**_

Sam and Dean stood next to the bed, looking down at Julia. Dean had a look of admiration. He caught Sam looking at him, looking at her. Sam furrowed his brow and shook his head side to side, as if signaling a second grader to keep his hand out of the cookie jar.

"What?" questioned a guilty Dean. "Can't blame me, can you?"

Sam just sighed at his brother. "At least some things never change," he replied.

Dean sat down on the corner of the bed. "Glowing white, eh? Just like Cas said?"

Sam nodded.

"So what do we do now? Just wait?"

"I guess so," said Sam, distantly. He stared intently at Julia's face. It was soft in her deep slumber, now going on two days. Her long, lean body clothed in jeans and a loose white shirt sometimes barely even seemed to breathe. Sam had to admit that he was having a hard time sleeping…she was so quiet and still in the night, and he was afraid that she had died in his – or rather, their, care. Sam leaned forward to brush a thin strand of blonde hair from her cheek, and adjusted the silver crucifix and thin chain around her neck. He was now aware that Dean was watching him, and he straightened up quickly, cleared his throat, and shoved his hands in his loose jeans. He scowled to himself, looking like a crush-ridden teenager in front of his merciless brother.

"Don't get too attached, Sammy. We don't know what's going to happen to her," Dean said. Sam glanced at him, but Dean was looking down at his hands. Sam couldn't tell if he was being teased or advised. Sam turned and sat in the chair in the corner, pulled his laptop into his lap, and became quickly engrossed. Dean sighed, stood up, and walked over to the motel's kitchenette refrigerator for a beer.

Her shoulder was squeezed, and then shaken. Julia felt her head loll side to side.

"I don't know, Dean, I don't think we should wake her."

"She's been asleep for three days. Don't you think she should eat? And I think maybe we should get some information from her before she gets the jump on you like she did last time."

"Dean, she wasn't trying to attack me, I told you. I think she was as surprised as I was by the whole thing. And I told you, Bobby said from what he read, she doesn't need to eat. Something about her body changing into the white demon - ,"

Dean ignored his brother. "Come on, sunshine, time to wakey-wakey…" He shook her shoulder a little bit more, tapped Julia with his hand on each cheek.

_Did he say demon?_

"I wouldn't piss her off, Dean, unless you want the whole Julia experience."

She opened her eyes suddenly and she saw Dean's smile waver for an instant.

"Well, there you go. See, told you, Sam." His tone was slightly mocking. "Time for some answers now."

Julia was able to finally look at both men in the daylight. Dean's hair was close cropped and neat, almost military. His face had some scarring, but he had rugged good looks, with full lips and a square chin. He returned her stare without blinking.

Sam stepped closer. She could see he was tall with longer, loose hair that framed his soft face. Right now, however, his brow was furrowed. His eyes looked right into hers. She opened her mouth to speak, but could make no sounds.

"Are you hungry? Or thirsty?" Sam asked her. She wanted to call him Rain, not Sam.

"No," she was finally able to say, but it was more like a sigh. The two men looked at each other.

"Really?" Dean remarked. He picked up a bottle of water from her bedside. When Julia didn't answer, he twisted off the top and held it to her lips. "You better try." Julia struggled against Dean's grip as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"No, Dean!" Sam cried, knocking the bottle out of Dean's hand. "Don't make her feel threatened!"

Julia's hands flailed in an attempt to push Dean away. As he backed away, her fingers brushed his cheek, and he flinched at their sudden heat.

"What is that?" asked Dean, stepping back in surprise.

"That's what I was telling you happened to her hands – "

Her body flashed with a white light, and the brothers threw their arms up in front of eyes to block the sudden glare and heat. Julia felt the heat rise within her.

_Nononononoooooo_, she told the power. _Go away!_

And it _listened_. As quickly as it appeared, it was gone. She could control it. The experience left Julia weak, overwhelmed, and now truly terrified. She shivered and quaked, gasping for breath, totally exhausted.

Sam approached her slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed. He studied her for a moment, then pulled her to a sitting up position, leaning her head on his shoulder. It was strong and she felt the muscles move beneath his shirt as he pulled the pillow back to its place on the bed. Julia really just wanted to stay against him, to smell that rain, to feel that comfort. But she couldn't even lift her arms to hold herself up against him as he lowered her back onto the pillow.

She wanted to stay awake, to talk to him, but Julia could feel herself slip into unconsciousness once again. "Rain…" she sighed.

Dean looked out the window. "Nope, looks sunny to me!"

* * *

Julia awoke to the sight of Sam in the corner chair, his long lean frame stretched out, legs splayed, head back. He was sleeping. His laptop was precariously perched on his lap, still glowing. Julia didn't see Dean. She sat up – she finally could – and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She eyed the door longingly, seemingly so far away. Could she get up and run out the door before he woke up? Julia didn't know if she had the strength. She looked around the room, but she didn't see a phone. Julia was certain her family didn't know where she was – she didn't know where she was – and she thought she may have been here for a long time.

But she knew, somehow, that Sam and Dean did not have her in this motel room to hurt her.

The morning light came through the blinds and brightened the room as the sun rose. The light seemed almost too bright. She could feel every nap of the carpet beneath her toes, feel every wrinkle of the sheets, and feel the texture of the mattress beneath her hands. There had been a change in her, Julia could feel it. Something more to what she was before – something more – Julia rubbed her hand on her neck, feeling her necklace and crucifix, attempting to understand what the change was.

She fingered the cross, pressing it between her index finger and thumb, as she had done a thousand times since she had received it from her father when she was a little girl. It wasn't large, maybe an inch in length, but it had tiered, engraved edges which gave it a heft and a weight.

Julia knew she now possessed some kind of power that she needed to learn to control. The white light, the glow, the flash, whatever it was, it was now a part of her. That much she knew.

Julia made a choice. She needed their help. She wanted Sam's help. She looked at him, biting her lower lip with determination.

"_Rain_ – I mean, Sam," she said in just a bit more than a whisper. She didn't want to startle him. "Sam," she said louder.

He started, snorted, and the laptop slipped off his lap onto the floor. "Julia – oh," he rubbed his eyes and picked his computer off the floor and put it on the table beside him. "You're awake. How do you feel?" He was still in his dream, trying to shake off the sleep. He was surprised to see her sitting up.

"I don't know how I feel," she told him. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees and ran his hands through his hair.

"It's okay – that's okay," he nodded. They were quiet.

"I need you to tell me what going on," she asked him. "I don't know what's going –," surprisingly, Julia felt her body heave, and broke down into sobs.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he came over and sat on the bed beside her. She leaned into him and he quickly put an arm around her. "Ssshh, we will figure this out…," he murmured.

He stroked her head and pushed her hair gently behind an ear. She knew then she had made the right choice. She chose Sam. She was at his mercy. She needed his help. Somehow she knew that her other life, her family, her friends, it was over. She just knew. She cried for what was and what would now be. Julia wasn't frightened, even though she was not sure what to expect. She just wanted to sit and be next to this man and have him hold her.

"Julia, there's something that you need to know about my brother and I. We are...we are hunters, Julia. That stuff that goes 'bump' in the night? The monster that an urban legend talks about? Those things are all real. So it's our job to kill them – and to protect people."

Julia pulled herself away from Sam, looking at him incredulously. He held her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. She knew he was telling her the truth.

"M – monsters? Like – like me?"

He smiled and shook his head. "No, you are not a monster. Dean and I are here to protect you, Julia. We want to help you to control that power. But that's enough for now, okay? Get some rest, and we'll talk again later."

* * *

_**Ella  
**_

Ella backed up into the tree. She could feel its sharp bark and its thick, syrupy sap through her thin dress. The little girl in front of her smiled.

"Everything will be all right, Ella, once you understand. You have a power now – one that you need to learn to use," the little girl was telling her. Long, loose tentrils of brown hair, just like Ella's, floated down around her face.

"That's right," the little girl replied, as though reading the older girl's thoughts. "I am you."

Ella shook her head in misery and fear. Almost unconsciously, she put her hands up in front of herself in a defensive response. Her hands glowed white again, and like a rising wind, Ella felt that new and unexpected power rise in her body.

It burst from her hands in a stream of white light, blazing and crackling. Ella screamed and the surge stopped. She fell to her knees, gasping and sobbing, fearing that she had mercilessly cut down the young figure in front of her – but the little girl was gone.

* * *

_**Julia**_

The next time Julia woke, she struggled to sit up, seeking Sam. Dean was on the other bed, various guns laid out before him, cleaning them. "Didn't think I had to hide these from you anymore," he said, not even looking up. He grimaced as he snapped a handgun back together.

"Let me help," Julia offered. Dean looked up, surprised. "I know how to clean a gun," she said.

"Really." He snorted and shook his head, running a soft cloth over the barrel of a shotgun. His hands were strong and rough, calloused from miles on the steering wheel, hours of guns in his hands.

She looked at him, tilting her head. "You don't really like me, do you?" she asked him. This was actually the longest conversation she had ever had with Dean. He put the gun down.

"Sister, my brother and I do a lot of important work. Not to toot our own horns or anything. And we have been sitting around on our asses for a couple of weeks now babysitting you. And we are not even sure why. So yeah, you could say I am getting a little pissed off waiting for something to happen. Okay?"

"What is supposed to happen? _What am I_?"

Dean didn't answer, but his hands were now still. He was silent for a moment. "Okay, you want to help? Can you clean a shotgun?"

Her heart was beating loud. He didn't – wouldn't - answer her question. "Yeah, I can clean a shotgun. My dad taught me how."

Dean paused at her statement.

"Didn't know that," he shrugged. "Here you go." He placed a ten-gauge shotgun by her side. Julia picked it up. It was well worn like a good friend, and broke down easily. She could feel every piece of grit beneath her fingers as she cleaned it. The smell of the acrid cleaner and the gunpowder was so familiar she felt herself smile. She remembered how her Dad always took her older brother and her to the range on Saturday mornings before he died. Target practice, loading, cleaning. Julia felt Dean watch her continuously at first, but as time wore on, he didn't glance up at all. They worked side by side in silence, only the sound of metal on metal as they cleaned the guns.

After her third gun, Julia was exhausted. She laid her head back against the propped up pillows and rested a hand on the gun beside her. As she drifted off to sleep, she could feel Dean slip the gun out from under her hand. "I'll take that, sister," Julia heard him whisper ruefully. "Until we find out which side you're on."

Julia was asleep for only a few minutes when Sam burst into the room, startling both of them. He was flustered and his face was full of worry. His eyes fell on a waking Julia, who smiled sleepily at him. Her golden hair draped over one shoulder, and though her arms lay inert at her side, he could feel power pulse from her as he entered the room.

"We gotta go. We got trouble, Dean." Sam dashed over to his bed and began throwing clothes into his duffel bag.

"What's going on?" Dean asked as he shrugged on his jacket and began packing his guns. He glanced up at Julia. "Can you walk?"

"I – I – don't know if I can go too far," she told the brothers. She hated feeling helpless.

"It's okay, Julia." Sam managed a quick grin. "I got'cha." He scooped her up effortlessly in his arms. She had enough strength to wrap her arms around his neck. Dean nodded and opened the door to head out to the car.

"_Put your hands up!"_ Two police cars with lights flashing were outside the door.

"Shit, shit, shit!" cried Dean. He dropped his bag and put his hand up over his head, walking forward slowly. Julia buried her head in Sam's neck. He stood by the side of the bed, barely moving from where he had picked her up.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded to him, suddenly very afraid.

"Julia, whatever happens – you can control it. Okay? You have got to try to control it. And we'll come to get you. I promise." His voice was a harsh whisper for only her to hear. He laid her back on the bed. "And when you can, look up _white demon_. Try to read about it. It's what we have to talk about." He was still close, bent down looking into her eyes. "Tell the cops we are your friends, we were just hanging out. Tell them it was just a mistake."

"Sam….," Her hand was behind his neck and she pulled him close. Their lips met softly, achingly.

"Control…," he whispered. He stood up and walked out the door, hands raised above his head.

* * *

Julia was back at home, sitting on the edge of her bed. Her mother, Kathleen, was screaming at her.

"Julia! I was out of my _mind_!" she yelled, pacing the small bedroom. Julia did feel bad for her. Pretty terrible, in fact. Kathleen was a single mom, and had Julia, her older brother, and her younger sister to care for. Though her brother had moved out long ago, this was the first college semester Julia had not lived at home, instead sharing an apartment with her friend Maggie near the college campus.

Julia let her mother yell, proclaim the punishment, break down in tears and hug her. Julia remained mostly quiet, except for the obligatory 'I'm sorry's' and 'it will never happen again's'. When her mother finally left the room, she quickly closed the door and grabbed her laptop computer.

Julia's nerves were completely raw. She was certain that at any point unexpected white light would come shooting out of her hands or her eyes. One part of her brain listened to and responded properly to her mother, the other half was in overdrive, attempting to keep calm and controlled. To think about the power...without thinking about the power.

She was able to will the strength to her legs for short periods of time. Julia was grateful to finally stretch out on her bed and began some research.

Her fingers flew as she searched 'white demon.' It led her to places on the web that she didn't think existed. Ancient texts translated, strange pictures, link after link, searching for whatever she could find. There wasn't much – but the realization of what was happening to her made her numb.

Somehow, Julia had become possessed by some kind of supernatural being, slowly coming to power.

There wasn't much else. And what was there was unclear, ribboned with lore and mythology. Reports of a being with white light...but within those same descriptions, there was always mention of a "_niger everto_." Something dark, evil, scary.

Julia's Latin was rusty, so she pulled up a Latin-to-English translator, she plugged in the idiom and pressed 'enter'.

_Black demon._

Julia read the words, her heart pounding, breathing barely possible. She rubbed her chest, feeling the warmth inside her.

"No, no, no….," she whispered. This couldn't be happening to her.

A sudden light and beep on her computer made her start and her heart beat wildly, shaking her out of her thoughts. It was an instant message. Julia almost deleted it – thinking it was another from Maggie trying to reach her – when she read the text:

'_It's raining outside.'_

Her heart leapt and her hands tingled. _Breathe, breathe, control it_, she willed herself. Her mom knocked at the door and let herself in before Julia could answer. She shoved her slightly glowing hands under the covers.

"Just checking," she whispered from the doorway. "We will talk more tomorrow, okay? Good night."

"Good night, Mom," her daughter replied. She nodded and closed the door. Julia pulled her hands out and the white had thankfully disappeared. She stood up and pulling the curtain aside, looked out the window. From across the neighborhood she saw car headlights flash twice. She knew it was Sam and Dean. She was flooded with relief.

Julia grabbed her backpack but then hesitated. What to bring? She had the feeling she was probably going to be leaving this house forever. Some spare clothes, her toothbrush…her hand hovered over an old family portrait, so old it still had her dad it in. Her sister was a baby, sitting on her mom's lap. Her mom looked so happy, with no worry lines like she had now. Julia was in glasses and pigtails; her brother was doing the obligatory pre-pubescent family picture scowl. Her dad had a slight smile on his lips, as if the idea of capturing this moment in time somehow amused him.

_Like a Mona Lisa smile,_ she suddenly realized. Was there something that he knew?

Some vague memory scratched at the back of her mind. Julia shook her head, knowing that Sam and Dean were waiting for her, and left the picture on her desk.

Julia softly closed her bedroom door behind her, pausing for a moment to listen to her mother's soft snore coming from her bedroom down the hall. Julia shot down the hallway and the stairs, stopping for a moment with her hand on the doorknob. She glanced back at the neat little home. There was not time for second thoughts, for sentiment. She knew in her heart, it was time to go.

Julia stepped outside, closing the door softly behind her. Her knees were beginning to knock, and though she knew a power within her that could perhaps give her strength, she was frightened to use it. Before she could continue her thought, a large shiny black car pulled to the curb. Julia grabbed the back door handle, swinging it open with a creak and hopped into the car. Sam turned to her and grinned. Dean glanced in the rear view mirror, his eyes dark and serious.

"Hold on, sister. It's gonna be a hell of a ride."


	2. Chapter 2

**The White Demon**

**Chapter 2  
**

* * *

_**The Black Demon**_

It was suddenly awake and already desperate. Its first and only thought was to find her. There was no other option. Survival was vital. It scrambled out from under the car-sized rocks, its form still incomplete, scrambling and shuffling, into the woods, to the town and to the world, to find her.

The cycle had begun again.

* * *

_**Julia**_

The miles fell under the tires, and the only sound between the three of them was the drone of the engine. Julia soon nodded off to sleep, a restless sleep where she could feel herself shout out and her hands tingle. Sam slid himself over the front seat and pulled her sleeping form onto him, arms around her.

He ignored Dean's accusing looks in the rear view mirror.

When they stopped, hours later, Sam and Julia awoke in sudden silence. The Impala was parked on a grassy knoll overlooking the ocean. Dean was already out of the car, gazing into the sunrise. Sam and Julia watched his crisp silhouette against the rising sun for a few minutes. It was the first time she had seen Dean stand still – he was always pacing, cleaning, driving, and doing something to keep mind and body busy. Dean turned and saw them watching him. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets and scowled.

"Watcha waiting for? Come on, come on…..let's get inside." He jerked his head towards a small cabin set back in some scrub pine trees. "We'll hang here for a bit."

Sam hesitated a moment, suddenly thinking of those quiet nights where Dean and him would sit on the hood of the Impala, watching the stars. They wouldn't speak for hours, but would just enjoy each other's quiet company and the solitude. It had been a long time since they had that time together. It seemed like it would be a long time until they would have the chance again. He grabbed Julia's backpack and joined Dean in the cabin.

It was a small, modest cabin. The kitchen, with its avocado colored appliances, and the living room, were separated by a large, rectangular wooden table. Wide bookshelves covered the back wall of the cabin, housing books, jars of seashells, and kid's puzzles and games. A large picture window afforded the visitors a wide, sweeping view of the broad front lawn and the ocean beyond. Two bedrooms and a bathroom were connected to the living room.

Sam dropped Julia's backpack on the floor and pulled a kitchen chair up to the edge of the couch. He sat on the chair, elbows on knees, rubbing his hands together. He gestured for Julia to sit on the couch in front of him. She walked by him, her hip brushing his shoulder. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, and held her breath, fearing it was the power within her. But it was only being near again to Sam. That short but passionate kiss in the motel seemed so long ago and she longed to be close to him again.

Sam looked directly at her, and she wondered if he saw her flushed cheeks. She blinked rapidly and took a breath, attempting to focus.

"Did you get a chance to do any research, Julia?" he asked. Dean was pacing, but now stopped and with his arms crossed, leaned against the kitchen counter.

She looked at Sam nervously and nodded her head with a quick jerk. "I'm a demon? Like what you were telling me about, Rain? Something awful and evil –," she trailed off, uncertain. She felt insecure in front of the two men. She wasn't even sure what she was saying was making any sense. Julia looked to Sam for help.

Sam nodded and half-smiled, looking into her eyes gently. "No. Not awful, and not evil. You have become possessed by a white demon. When someone is possessed by your standard demon, they become a vessel of evil. A worker for Lucifer. This white demon – according to the lore we have been able to track down – is a demon that broke ranks with its brothers and sisters to use its powers for good. This demon is inside of you, but it has not taken complete control of you. You have its powers, Julia, and you need to learn how to control them."

"How did this happen to me?" Julia sunk her head down into her hands.

"We're not sure how a white demon chooses its vessel…its something that we know very little about."

The brothers glanced at each other. Julia caught their worried expressions.

"What else?" she asked, her voice steely. "The black demon, right?"

"He's the one that's evil, Julia. From what we know, and it's not much, the black demon and the white demon are somehow…connected. One can't really exist without the other. But its sole intention is to control you. It wants to find you and your white demon, and somehow use your powers for its own dark purposes. For Satan." Sam spread his hands out, fingers wide, as he finished the explanation.

"Oh, God," Julia's eyes filled with tears.

"Julia, listen," said Dean, stepping forward. "Our angel friend - ,"

"Angel? Oh – angels and demons - ," Julia interrupted, shaking her head incredulously. She confused and defeated. "I don't belong here. This has been a big mistake – I think you need to take me home - ," Julia began to stand up.

Sam put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You can't, Julia. You've see the power you have – you have to learn to control it. And the black demon finds you, it will - ," he paused. His hand dropped from her shoulder and she stood up.

"What? _What will it do?_"

Dean looked Julia in the eye. "It will combine its power with the white demon's, and from what we've been told, become very, very powerful."

Dean turned and walked back towards the kitchen counter, leaning on his fists. "Our angel friend told us where to find you," Dean continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted. "It was important for us to get to you before the black demon did, to keep you safe. And hopefully, we can help you to control your powers and use them _against_ it. You could be a regular superhero, sister." Julia saw a hint of a smile draw back his cheek.

"To use my powers against it...," Julia repeated, her eyes clouding with a dazed look. Sam could see she was trying to absorb it all. She slowly sat back on the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

"That's what we are hoping. If you remain in control, you can destroy the black demon. Before it gets the chance to control you," Sam told her.

Without thought, she touched the crucifix around her neck, in a strange act of reassurance. Was this even for real? What the hell was going on, anyway? Julia was a normal girl, ending her second year in college, decent grades, and good friends….her brain felt like it was in a blender inside her head.

The three of them were silent. Julia spoke suddenly. "Have you ever thought about your life...how it ended up this way?"

"You mean, did I ask myself, 'why me?'" Sam dropped his head to his chest. She knew he had a wide, rueful smile on his face, and his knotted forehead finally relaxed. "Yeah, only like every second of every day. But you have to sometimes accept that there is a plan…that's bigger than you."

"Julia, how old were you when your dad died?" Dean asked her.

Julia looked sharply at Dean. "How did you know my dad was dead?" she exclaimed. Angered, she stood up and walked past the brothers into the kitchen. She kept her back to them as she struggled to control her emotions.

"We know a lot about you, Julia. We had to keep an eye on you for awhile, to make sure you were the right person."

"Okay, that's not creepy," she pouted. "My dad died when I was fourteen…my sister was eight…so my brother was seventeen. My dad and my brother, Robert, were on a deer hunting trip - ,"

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance. Sam spoke soothingly. "Julia, it probably wasn't deer your daddy was hunting. Your dad was a hunter. Just like our dad. And just like us."

"He was teaching your brother to be a hunter, too," Dean added. "And you may have been next in line, sister. Why do you think he taught you how to shoot a gun?"

Julia turned towards the brothers, her face revealing her shock. Memories began to emerge in her mind...t_hat strange smile on her father's face in the family portrait...those long days at the shooting range with him and her brother...the odd bedtime stories that her father told them that seemed eerily real..._

Sam and Dean felt a change in the air that only happened when Castiel appeared. The angel stood for a moment in the kitchen, then strode purposely towards Julia. Before anyone could say a word, he touched her forehead with his finger. Sam leapt forward and caught her unconscious form as she crumpled to the ground.

"Cas, what did you do?" Sam cried, picking up Julia and placing her on the couch.

"Protecting myself. Until she learns to control her powers, it's not very safe for me to be around her. She may feel threatened by me." The angel looked down at her slumbering face, her lean body. "But she has the power that could save the world."

"How can we keep the black demon from finding her, Cas?" Dean dug the toe of his shoe into the floor, pretending to scrape something off the wood. Sometimes Cas's eyes could look so deeply into him. As much as he liked the angel, it just made him feel uncomfortable.

"I am working on that," Cas replied methodically. "How long can you stay here?"

"This is home base for as long as we need," Dean replied. "The hunter that owns this place said it's not a problem. But…Cas…are we sure we can trust this white demon to behave? Julia doesn't seem to have a good grip on it!""

"You two need to know this is not going to be a typical demon case. Her powers will rise up if she feels threatened. The white demon, remember, does not totally possess a person…it works with the vessel…cooperatively." Cas squatted down to look at Julie's face, turning his head quizzically to one side. "Interesting. Using a hunter's daughter." He stood up and glanced at the boys again. "I have to go. She will wake up soon. I'll be back."

Dean whistled. "Never thought I would hear Cas quoting popular culture."

* * *

**_The Black Demon_**

It surveyed this world with old eyes. Most of what it saw was familiar enough for its purposes. It moved with a slithering gait, its form malleable and shifting. It walked through the forest, finally coming out of the trees to the outskirts of the small town. An elderly resident, watering her struggling, spindly flower garden, saw the dark form emerge from the trees. She dropped her running hose, turned, walked into her house, and locked the door.

* * *

_**Julia**_

It was a dark night and Julia was wide awake. As she had trained herself to do, she lay perfectly still so as not to wake Sam, who she knew always slept near.

"It's okay, I'm awake," he said. She turned towards the sound of his voice to look at him. He was in the twin bed next to hers, lying on his side, looking at her. They could hear a soft snore from Dean sleeping in the next bedroom through the thin walls.

"Do you do that a lot?"

"What?"

"Watch me sleep."

He sighed and turned onto his back. "Sorry. Guess there's not much else to do when I'm wide awake." Soft beams of moonlight stole in from under the shades. As he bent his arms and placed his hands behind his head, the muscles on his wide chest stretched and pulled his trim white t-shirt up, exposing his stomach. He stared at the ceiling, concentrating on the cracks in its surface.

Julia pushed her blonde hair behind her shoulders and sat up in bed. As she hugged her knees, she could feel a twist in her stomach, looking at him. That first, urgent kiss in the motel room seemed so long ago. She wondered now what it meant.

"Sam, how did you know I called you _Rain_?"

She could hear him smile. "You'd say it in your sleep. You'd say, 'Rain, are you there?' and I would come over, and say 'yes', and you would go back to sleep."

"Oh. That's embarrassing." Julia cleared her throat. "Anyway, thanks for coming back for me, getting me from my house. You know, so I can save the world." She tried to sound sarcastic, but instead, felt immediately self-conscious. She tucked her hair behind her ears.

Sam rolled back to his side and sat up, facing her. "Is that why you think I came back for you?" She could only look at him, her heart beating loud in her chest. He moved over to her bed, and sat beside her. His hand touched her cheek, the back of her neck, cupped her chin. Her skin ached for his touch. He raised her eyes to meet his. "Is that why you think I came back for you?" he repeated.

Julia could only mouth the word, 'no'. They kissed, tender at first, then pulling each other closer with rough desire. His body was on her body, his kisses on her face, her hands on his back, tracing his long muscles with her fingertips. She felt him tremble, but she felt her own fingers quiver, too. He was almost too eager, breathing her in, kissing her neck, pulling on her hair.

"Control…," she teased him. Julia could feel his smile against her neck.

Dawn crept its first fingers of light into the room a few hours later. Julia lay against Sam, resting, while he traced his finger from her forehead to her chin and back again.

"I got an idea," he whispered.

"Not again….," she pretended to plead, smiling at him.

"No, no! Come on, get up!" He bounced out of bed hurriedly, pulling on his well worn jeans and white t-shirt. She hesitated a moment to admire his lean body in the early light. "You okay?" he suddenly asked, concern in his voice.

Julia's hands tingled and began to glow. "No…no…," she cried. She could feel the power grow inside her like an ocean wave. Her hands became white orbs of light and her eyes glowed white. Sam backed away, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands clamped over his ears. There was that strange absence of sound – she could see Sam's mouth moving, she could read his lips as he looked at her – his eyes seeking hers - _control! control!_

Dean came racing into the room, shielding his eyes from the glare, a shotgun in his hands. Sam's eyes widened at the site of the gun. _No!_ his lips formed, and he leaped at Dean. He didn't need to bother. As though looking from inside her own body, deep inside, she saw her own hand being held up, palm towards Dean. She felt a surge come up from within her and out – and Dean was up off his feet against the wall.

Julia saw the grimace of pain on his face. The gun flew through the window, smashing it. Julia watched her hand turn towards Sam. His eyes widened as much as they could against the intense glare – _Julia! Julia!_ he screamed into the voidless air. Her body took a step towards him – she was a helpless passenger in her own body. She was not in control of these powers rising within her.

_Control, control. Rain, Rain, Rain…._she pleaded to herself. Julia fought to mentally contain the next surge before it escaped her. _Rain…Rain…Rain…._

She forced her open hand to clench into a fist, pulling the power back into her body and under control. Her arm dropped to her side. The absence of sound abruptly stopped. The air seemed to suction out of the room and sweep back in again, whipping her hair around her head as she stood in the center of the room. Julia inhaled with a wailing, gasping sound and began to fall to the ground, her pleading eyes on Sam. Sam grabbed her to stop her from falling and lowered her slowly to the ground.

"Julia, I know you are in there! Julia, control it, control, control!" Sam shouted at her, shaking her. Julia's head rolled back but her eyes fluttered. Her blue eyes.

"I'm here," she managed to say. "You can stop yelling now."

"Shit, shit!" cried Dean, as he peeled himself out of the drywall under the window. "You bitch! I knew it! Sammy, I knew it!" he strode toward her and grabbed her shoulders, hand pulled back, ready to punch. She cowered, exhausted, holding her hands in defense, whimpering. Sam leaped up from the floor and roared, tackling his brother to the ground. Julia's head hit the floor, red stars and shooting pain in her eyes. She tasted cold, salty blood in her mouth where she had bit her own tongue.

Sammy straddled Dean, hand pulled back with a fist about to snap.

"She's an evil bitch, Sammy!" Dean yelled.

"You leave her alone!" Sam screamed back. The brothers stared at each other, chests heaving, fists poised. Sam let his hand drop and rolled off Dean. Dean stood up, brushed himself off and glared at Julia.

"Screwing demons, Sammy. Its a bad habit," he spat out, and left the room. Sam ignored him and crawled over to her.

"Julia," he panted. He didn't come too close. His body was tense, and if her powers rose again, he would leap out of the way of anything she threw at him.

"I'm sorry," she croaked. But she was not weak. Julia felt – actually quite strong. She could feel the force inside her, twisting like a hot hurricane, and the taste of its power was unbelievable. But Julia didn't want him to know that. She didn't want him to be afraid; she wanted him to watch her in the night out of concern and love, not fear. She wanted to be with him, not be his prisoner.

"He scared you –coming in here with a gun - that's why you attacked him. You just stay here, okay, Julia. You just stay here." Sam stood up and shook his head, still trying to absorb what happened. He walked into the other room to talk to his brother.

Dean was leaning over the kitchen sink, attempting to wash the drywall powder off his face. A cold beer, half gone, was on the counter beside him.

"Jesus, Dean, it's not even seven a.m."

"Hey, and top of the morning to you, too, sunshine," muttered Dean. Castiel appeared next to Dean, startling him and making him knock his beer into the sink.

"Shit, now I know it's gonna be a bad day," Dean lamented as he watched the brew slide down the drain.

Cas apologized, but his deadpan voice didn't make it sound genuine. "That is just the beginning of her power. She must learn control."

Sam looked at Cas. "Can we help Julia, Cas? Can we help her defeat the black demon, so it won't possess her?" he asked. Dean lifted his head, listening.

"Maybe," said Cas.

"So, what do we do? Enroll her with a sensai?" muttered Dean. "Wax on, wax off?"

"I don't understand that reference, Dean," Cas replied. "Her power now will come in short bursts, until it takes over completely, totally. You must help her learn to control it, before the black demon finds her and takes advantage of any weakness he may find in her."

Back in the bedroom, Julia surveyed the blankets and pillows scattered on the floor. Careful not to step on shards of glass from the broken window, she pulled the blankets back onto one of the beds and collapsed into it.

She could hear Sam, Dean, and what must be the angel, Castiel, talking in the kitchen. They pretended she couldn't hear them, and she pretended she couldn't hear them. Dean sputtered and yelled for a few minutes while Sam and Cas patiently waited for him to calm down. When he finally did and Sam tried to talk, Dean paced madly across the floor.

"Dean, Dean, please. Sit down," pleaded his brother. Dean sat down on the couch, one leg thumping up and down, and Sam chose the chair across from him.

"Dean, listen. If we can help Julia control her power, then she can defeat the black demon. And then maybe she would have the power to destroy anything that would ever come our way again!"

"How are we supposed to teach her how use this power? I don't see a manual for it anywhere. And I'm still not convinced it's not gonna go all dark side on us."

"_She_, Dean, Julia is a _she_, not an _it_."

"Dammit, Sammy, that's your problem!" Dean exploded. "Is Julia a she? Or just some other monster we can't trust, because in my book, demons are an 'it'! You have to separate the two! And if you can't, I am not going to be spending the rest of my life babysitting some little fetish of yours!"

Sam stood up and walked out the door. Dean muttered to Castiel angrily, then she heard his thick boots knock across the floor to follow his brother outside. Julia lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, exhausted and numb. She closed her eyes. Her stomach felt like it was bound with steel wire, and tears leaked out from under her eyes.

Julia felt Sam's hand on hers, and she opened her eyes with a gasp. He smiled down at her, like nothing had happened, with his one-sided, endearing smile. For a moment that smile could make her forget she was a being filled with a strange white power.

"I'm sorry, Julia. I won't let him do that again."

"What?"

"You know, be all mean. There's no need for it. Dean is just getting frustrated - ,"

"What if I just kill myself, Sam?" she interrupted. "That way the black demon will never hurt anyone. It won't have a white demon to control."

Sam sighed. He didn't want to talk about it, but he knew he had to be honest with her. "Julia, you are a white being, something _good_ – powerful, but good. If you killed yourself – the black demon wins."

"But Dean - ," she began.

"I know. But you have a big brother, right? You know how they are. But Julia, I'm betting that you are very powerful…and determined….and you can destroy the black demon. You will be able to control this force."

"A big brother?" a sudden thought stunned her. "Sam, give me your cell phone!" Sam dug it out of his pocket and handed it to her.

She fiercely dialed the phone and shook her head, lips pressed together in a straight line. "I'm going to settle this once and for all, you'll see."

"Robert! Robert, it's me! No, please stop, I can't talk about that right now. I can't tell you where I am. The two guys I am with, they are Sam and Dean Winchester. They are hunters." She paused and waited for Robert's brain to catch up. "Robert, _was Dad a hunter_. You have to tell me…_was he a hunter_."

Sam stepped back to lean against the wall. He so much was not listening to the conversation as watching her. Her long blonde hair, big blue eyes. Athletic build. The way she moved her hands, carried her body, looked you in the eye. She was determined, smart, and damn, pretty. In another life, if he had met her, they would have had the cutest damn kids….he could see her carpooling, president of the neighborhood association, having the house where the kids hung out. Him tossing the basketball in the driveway with a tall son in the summer. Standing beside her in the kitchen, talking, sharing a beer. Her so strong, so loving, needing him every night of their lives. A whole life ran in front of his eyes in an instant, a different and better life. His chest tightened at the thought of it all. But now she was off the phone and looking at him. Julia gazed at him for a moment, and Sam wondered if she could see his thoughts on his face.

"Yeah, dad was a hunter. In fact, he died hunting with my brother. I think he was training Robert for that life, the way your dad trained you. But when my dad died, Robert swore he would never live that way - hunting things, putting his family in danger - and walked away."

"Julia, what happened that night? When your dad died?"

She exhaled deeply, now knowing the truth. "Robert always just said it was an accident. He had always said they were out deer hunting and some guy shot Dad by mistake. But now…Robert just told me they were on the trail of - some kind of monster - I guess it really hurt Robert, and my dad made some kind of deal - with a roads demon?"

"Crossroads demon?" Sam offered.

Julia nodded, swallowing hard. "My dad traded his life for Robert's – they made some kind of deal. How is that even possible?"

"You think maybe that deal was you?" Sam and Julia turned to see Dean standing outside the bedroom, listening.

"No, we don't know that," said Sam. "It could have been any kind of deal – ,"

Dean cut him off and strode toward Julia, standing toe to toe with her. "Or maybe a deal to get a demon into his daughter, a demon that could get a little too close to us. A demon that would get us to let it in, to trust it. Then kill us."

Julia stood up to face him, finally, looking into his blazing, untrusting eyes. "No!" she shouted at Dean. She felt her hands tingle.

_Control, control. I don't want Dean to know he is getting to me, as much as I want to blast him into the wall again._

"That's not me," she said, staring at Dean. "I don't want to hurt any of you. And I want to control it – I feel I can."

"Anything having to do with a crossroad demon is evil to us!" he shot back.

Julia ran past the brothers, pushed open the screen door, and out onto the porch. Behind her, she could hear Dean's voice was raised in anger and Sam's in defense. The arguing, the confusion, a damned power inside her – and she knew if she didn't control these emotions inside her right now, that she really might hurt the Winchesters. The wave inside her began to rise. She clasped her shaking hands together, closed her eyes, and attempted to take a deep breath. "_Control_," she whispered.

She felt lightheaded, but kept her eyes closed, mentally driving her feet into the ground. All the sounds in her head dropped away, until there was silence.

Julia opened her eyes and looked around. Until this moment, she hadn't been able to appreciate just where they were – a small summer cottage on a large bluff overlooking the ocean. The salty sea air, the sound of seagulls, the slow loll of the oceans waves as far as the horizon. It took her by surprise, and God, it was beautiful. She would have dreamed to come here during any spring break with her girlfriends. Now the circumstances that brought Julia here – were pretty laughable.

She walked slowly towards the edge of the yard where the scrub sea grass turned to a rocky mix of sand and gravel, then to a cliff overlooking the sea.

Sam walked up behind her.

"I feel like I'm a prisoner!" she cried, hurt and angry. She didn't turn around to look at him.

Sam didn't answer for a moment. Julia immediately regretted her tone. She turned to him, talking softly.

"Rain…it seems everything I do makes you and your brother fight. I mean, like really fight. I'm sure as brothers it hasn't always been easy, but even getting your brother to say a kind word to you or me – ,"

Sam moved towards Julia and embraced her. She buried her head in his chest, and he rested his chin on the top of her head, looking off over the cliff to the ocean.

"Yeah, it hasn't been easy as brothers. But – hell, it's been pretty great, too. We're just having a rough patch right now. He's my big brother, so he wants to protect me from anything – like from getting hurt, physically….or emotionally. Right now he can't do that – so he's just pretty pissed. He's just never been one to let go."

"I'm just really sorry….for everything."

"Listen, you just learned that your dad hid a big piece of his life from you - and may have used you to save your brother. I think if you're upset...that's pretty understandable."

Sam released her from his embrace, and walked over to a large boulder on the edge of the property. He picked up a rusty, bent can and inspected it, smiling. It was apparent the hunter that had previously inhabited the cabin had used it for target practice. He balanced it on top of the boulder and walked back to Julia and stood behind her. Sam took her right hand in his and pointed it towards the boulder with her palm facing out. With his other hand on her stomach, he aimed her like he was teaching her a trick shot at a pool table.

"Now hit it."

"What?"

"You can control it, Julia, I know you can." Sam's chin was on her shoulder, talking right into her ear. Julia was finding it hard to listen to just what he was saying.

"Sam…"

"Julia….," He was teasing her now. "I want you to try."

"Okay…but how about you stand back a little? Just in case," she said reluctantly. He dropped his arms and took a step back.

It must have been around three o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was beginning to set behind the cottage, casting long shadows in the yard. The rusted can target looked remarkably clear to Julia. She moved her hand towards it with what she hoped would be a good aim and took a deep breath. She thought about the power inside of her, and with her mind, attempted to tap into a small portion of it. Picturing just the tiniest of glowing white in her palm, she thought a thought…and felt a surge.

The can didn't move.

Julia dropped her hand, disheartened. Without turning, she knew Sam stood behind her, brow furrowed, hand on his chin.

Julia reset her feet and took a deep breathe, determined not to fail. She held her hand out in front of her again and focused, mentally pulling down her guard that contained her powers. With a sudden _pop _aburst of white light shot from her hand and jolted her off her feet. The can clattered to the ground.

Sam whooped and helped her up. Julia looked at the palm of her hand where the power had come from, but it only tingled strangely. The skin was not damaged or burned.

"What – what happened?"

"I'm not sure – but I think you are getting the hang of it," Sam encouraged. Julia smiled and looked over her shoulder at him. Maybe this would be possible. Sam reset the can, but the next two shots were unsuccessful. She was wary of this power – too little, and it did next to nothing…but too much, and she wasn't sure she could remain in control. Something inside her urged to her release it more – this scary, exhilarating power – but she didn't know if it would be possible to pull it back. Sam's voice was low, urging her to be careful, to take it slow, and to learn the control.

They heard the crunch of Dean's boots on the earth behind them. "Maybe you just need some new targets." He held up a handful of empty beer bottles. His face was expressionless, but his eyebrows were raised with the challenge.

"Bring it on," Julia retorted. "But just stay out of my way." Sam whistled low at the tension between the two of them. Dean smiled and shook his head, and walked forward to balance the bottles on the stone. He was barely out of the way before Julia released a surge. Immediately the bottle shattered into a thousand little pieces, and they all realized she had used too much power. Dean had aggravated her and she had allowed it to anger her.

"Take a break," said Sam. Julia took a wavering step back but ignored his hand to steady her. Her eyes took on a soft white gleam. Dean took out his handgun and shot three bottles in a row. He paused and Julia got the next one. Dean had riled her, and Julia was determined that this senseless fighting over who would protect Sam would end now. _Dammit, I have the power to protect them both from anything – I wish they could see that_, she thought.

Dean and Julia wordlessly went shot for shot, Sam running in between sets to replace the bottles. When he ran out, he used dinner plates, coffee cups – whatever he could find in the house that would shatter. Finally, breathless from running from the house to get targets to appease the two of them but not to leave them alone together too long – he said, "That's it. There's nothing more to break," and started laughing. Dean and Julia looked at the piles of glass and porcelain and plastic heaped around the target boulders. Dean cracked a wide smile in the fading light. Julia blinked away the white glow from her eyes. They had been at this for hours.

"Okay, sister. You are a good shot. I'll give you that," he said, laughing. Julia smiled and laughed, too, and moved forward to hug him. "Thanks, Dean." Her words were muffled in the collar of his leather jacket. Now he really was gunpowder and leather again to her.

He feigned a hurt puppy dog look until she smiled and laughed. "I'm glad you have my back, Dean." He grinned back and tossed back the last of the beer. He held up the empty bottle.

"For next time." He turned and walked to the house.

Sam had the broadest smile on his face Julia had ever seen on him. "I am glad you two got that out of your system. You're more alike than you want to know."

She flexed her hands, looking at them, amazed and excited by the power. Sam could see that Julia was gaining confidence in her control. She looked up at him with a grin and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him close, kissing him, pressing her body into his. Tonight, she would be the one in control.

* * *

**_The Black Demon_**

The demon raised its head, seemingly sniffing the air. She was very far away, but that didn't matter. They would be together, very soon, it knew. It had waited two hundred years. It didn't want to wait any more.


	3. Chapter 3

**The White Demon**

**Chapter 3**

Dean yawned and stretched and quickly jumped out of bed. He was glad for last night's shooting practice. There had been too many quiet days, and he felt the need to stay sharp. He didn't want his hunting skills to diminish in any way. "Yeah, don't get all soft," he said aloud to himself. He quickly pulled on jeans crumpled on the ground from last night. He sniffed his shirt, shrugged, and put it on. He planned to head into town, about twenty miles away, to get some supplies and local newspapers.

He stepped out onto the front porch. A slight mist rose from the ground, and Dean could barely see the two figures lying on the grass in front of the cottage, side by side. Sam was on his back, eyes open, stretched out long and lean, hands behind his head. Dean could see a swirl of blonde hair and a hand from underneath a pile of blankets next to him. _Lucky kids_, he thought. He could hear the sound of their voices in the still air, Sam's rumbling reply, her soft laughter. As Dean walked to the Impala, he caught Sam's eye and gave him a big thumbs up, and a wink, Dean-style. Sam shook his head, and waved him off with a smile.

When Dean got back, Julia was still on the front lawn, sitting on the blankets in the early light and lifting fog. She was wearing Sam's large flannel shirt. She was looking out into the ocean with the collar of the shirt up and the cuffs of the sleeves dangling below her hands. Julia didn't turn around when Dean got out of the car, walked behind her, and into the cottage.

Sam was in the shower. Dean spread out the newspapers on the large kitchen table, sipped his coffee, and winced as Sam started to sing.

"Sam, you couldn't carry a tune in a bucket!" Dean shouted to him over his shoulder.

"Screw you!" Sam replied happily from the bathroom. Dean shook his head, thinking how Sammy always carried his heart on his sleeve. He could see that Sam was falling in love with Julia. So vulnerable, so exposed, but Sammy just didn't care. It was who he was. Dean felt a sudden pang, worried about not being able to protect his little brother. He refocused on the newspapers in front of him and continued to scan the headlines.

Dean glanced out the window again as the sun rose higher. Julia was standing up now, and Sam's long shirt covered her down to her knees. She was looking at both her hands, palms up, and as Dean watched, they began to glow and she moved them towards her own head.

"No! _Nonononono!_" Dean raced from the kitchen out the front door and was standing in front of Julia in a few leaps. He grabbed her wrists. "Julia, don't do this!" Her eyes glowed white as she looked up from her palms into Dean's eyes.

"He's so happy right now," Julia said to him. Her voice was soft and dreamlike. "Just let me leave like this. I'll be gone. And maybe Sam can forget any of this ever happened."

"Julia, you are not making any sense," Dean implored. His hands were beginning to feel hot and he could feel her strong arms moving her glowing hands towards her own head. "Don't do this, _please_!" he grimaced as he tried to push her arms down to her sides but they would budge. A slight breeze brought Sam's singing to them.

_If anything is going to make this girl kill herself, it's going to be Sam's singing_, Dean thought ruefully.

Dean felt Julia's arms stop moving. "Please," he whispered. "Don't do this. I don't want you to do this –," he implored her. She blinked her eyes and he watched as they become blue again. The glowing abated. Dean's hands were no longer hot.

"Promise me you won't do this, Julia. You can't do this to Sammy." Dean looked at her, steely eyed. His hands were still on her wrists as she folded her hands down into soft fists. "We can beat this, okay, whatever the hell this is. Sammy said himself you could have killed us by now if you wanted to so just -," his voice softened. " - just don't go hurting yourself." He looked into her eyes, pleading with her.

Julia stared deep into Dean's eyes. "Promise me something, Dean."

"Oh, no."

"Promise me, if I am evil, you will kill me. Somehow. Stop me – and whatever demon – from hurting Sam, or you, or anyone."

Dean looked at her, stupefied. It didn't seem that long ago Sam had made him promise the same thing. He didn't want to be hearing these words.

"What's going on?" Sam stood on the front porch, jeans on, shirt half on over his shoulders. Julia quickly looked into Dean's eyes with an unspoken, _'don't tell, okay?'_

"Nothin', Sammy. Just askin' if she wanted some breakfast." Dean took a step back from Julia, their eyes still locked.

Sam bounded down from the porch. He put a protective arm around Julia's shoulders and she leaned into him, finally breaking her eye contact with Dean as Sam guided her towards the house. Dean stood behind them for a moment, watching their forms meld together. _Oh, Sammy_, he thought. _Oh, shit_.

Dean pulled out his phone and called Bobby. "Jesus, I was wondering when you were gonna call. Getting me worried," was Bobby's greeting.

"Sorry, Bobby. We're okay – just got our hands full. Did you find anything else?" Dean squinted to see in through the cottage's large front windows. Sam was talking to Julia, but she was only nodding her head and looking down. Sam gently took his shirt off her and guided her to the bathroom, probably for a shower.

"Well, there's not much. Demon traps don't work, but I guess you already knew that."

Dean grunted his reply. Sam and Julia didn't know it, but there was a demon trap under the rug in Julia's bedroom, placed there by the owner of the cabin. Julia had not even flinched as she walked across it.

"How about any signs, Bobby? I am getting tired of waiting for this black demon to show his face."

"There's nothing, Dean. Typical weather everywhere, in fact. No reports of anything suspicious. Its laying real low right now, for some reason."

"Okay, Bobby, thanks."

"Hey, Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"You boys just be real careful, okay? This is uncharted territory."

"We'll be careful, Bobby. Promise."

"And call again soon, dammit!"

Dean heard the phone click off. Bobby was getting as frustrated by this situation as he was. Maybe it was a blessing that the black demon was laying low – Julia was in not yet in form to go up against it – and Dean still was not sure _if _she would go up against it. But the waiting was killing him.

* * *

Julia stood under the water so long it went cold. When she finally turned the water off, shivering and teeth chattering, Sam knocked on the door.

"You okay?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied. "I'll be out in a sec." She pulled on jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt. Julia wiped the fog off the mirror and leaned in to look at herself. Her long blonde hair clung to her head and she looked deep into her blue eyes. "Are you in there?" she whispered. Her eyes flashed back pure white in response. She jumped back and screamed, her feet tangled in the wet towel on the floor. She hit her head on the sink before falling to the floor.

"Julia!" Sam opened the bathroom door.

"I'm okay, Rain," she said shakily. "Just help me up."

When they walked out to the living room, Dean was standing over the coffee table in the middle of the room. He was looking down at an old set of checkers that Sam had found and set up. It was the set every kid had – the thin black and red checked board that folded in half, and the checkers with the little bumps around the edges that had to be lined up just right so you could stack them. Dean could remember the hours he and Sam had sat hunched over such a board, stuck in cheap motel rooms while their Dad went hunting.

Julia sat down and leaned forward, clenched fist on her chin. Her hair was draped around my head, still wet from the shower. She glanced up quickly at Dean, a look of guilt and sadness, then back down at the board as Sam made a move.

Sam leaned back in his chair and stretched. He looked towards Dean. "What did Bobby say?"

"Nothing new. It's _too_ quiet, in fact." Out of the corner of his eye, Dean saw a checker move one space – all by itself. It slid again. Julia's face was hidden under her hair. Dean pretended not to notice.

"Did you move yet?" Sam asked her, turning back towards the board. She nodded wordlessly. Sam slid a checker one square diagonally, and then furrowed his brow. "Hmm."

It was Julia's turn. With the brothers watching, she moved a red checker without touching it. Then a black. Then they all slid across the board towards Sam. Julia looked up at them, smiling.

"That's pretty damn cool," said Dean. "Now can you bake a pie for me with your brain, too?"

Sam laughed, but it was cut off by the sound of thunder above their heads. A fierce, pelting rain struck suddenly against the window panes as the sky grew dark.

"I don't like this," said Dean as he walked over to the window, immediately on alert. "Not one damned bit."

Julia reached a hand across the checkerboard to Sam. "Rain…," she said, her voice trembling.

"How about you head into the bedroom, Julia," said Sam.

"Okay." She wiped her nose on the back of her hand and it came back red with blood. Sam didn't see it, so she ran into the bedroom before he could. In the bedroom, Julia frantically looked around. There was a small closet, the two beds, and two windows. One of the windows was boarded up from where she had blown it out. Julia attempted to open the other window, but it was jammed shut after years of being unused. She forced her hands into its wooden frame, gritting her teeth against the pain. It didn't budge.

Sam joined Dean by the window, watching the sky.

"What do you think - ," he began to say, but the large front window crashed in towards them and swept them across the room. The wind howled through the cottage, sending the checkerboard and Dean's newspapers flying. The brothers struggled to their feet, but were barely able to stand against the strong wind. Sam began to move towards the bedroom.

"What the - ," before Dean could finish his sentence, the brothers grunted as they were lifted off their feet and forced against the bookcase. The front door flew open, breaking the hinges. A male figure walked in, over the broken door, and towards them. His eyes were demon black. Dean recognized him as the man that sold him the newspapers this morning at the local store. _Shit_, he thought, _there are demon spies everywhere_.

"I come here as a soldier of the black demon," the figure snarled. "Where is she?"

"Not here!" Sam shot back at him. "Aarrhh!" Sam cried out as the demon pushed him harder against the wall.

All three heard the sound of broken glass from the bedroom above the howling wind.

"Julia, _run_!" Sam cried. The demon bolted for the bedroom. Sam and Dean dropped from the wall, and before Dean was even on his feet, Sam was on his way in the bedroom. Dean looked out where the front window used to be. He saw Julia run across the yard with the demon close behind, followed by Sam. Dean charged out the front door and cut off the demon, tackling him to the ground. The two rolled on the grass, struggling for a grip or a punch at each other.

Julia stood at the edge of the yard where it dropped off into the ocean. "Run, Julia!" yelled Sam.

"I can't!" Julia fell to her knees, shivering and holding herself, frozen in fear.

"Then fight, dammit!" cried Dean. The demon brought a knee up into Dean's stomach and then punched him in the head. The demon looked up from the stunned Dean and growled at Julia. She cowered, the rain plastering her hair and her clothing to her lean body.

"Friend or foe? Good or bad?" it hissed. Sam stood in front of Julia, defending her. The rain poured down and the thunder roared.

"What do you want with her?" Sam had to blink away the rain from his eyes.

"I want to see….I want to see what she can do."

"You want to see her destroy you?" Sam shot back.

The demon chuckled. "I don't think she will. She's still a little too….human." The demon charged Sam and the two fell to the ground. Sam was caught on the bottom, and it was all he could do to block the punches. Sam missed a punch and the demon hit him in the jaw. Sam tasted blood, and in a surge of anger, heaved the demon off him.

Sam stood up over the demon, muddy from the wet ground, soaking wet, and bleeding. His fists were clenched by his sides. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the demon with fierce anger. As the demon paused a moment before coming back on his feet, he saw Julia rise to her feet behind Sam. A look of surprise flashed across his face.

Julia's eyes glowed white and she held her hand up, palm towards him.

"Oh, looky," the demon said. "Somebody has come to the party!" The demon suddenly turned and with its power, threw Sam across the yard. Dean was just coming to his feet. The two brothers crashed into each other, heads knocking together hard.

Julia looked at the two brothers, barely visible through the thick rain over the demon's shoulder. They were two gray heaps on the grounds, and they were not moving.

"Whatcha gonna do now, little girl?" the demon sneered. Julia knew exactly what she was going to do. The two demons circled each other warily.

"I am the white demon," Julia felt herself say. The wave rose inside her, and this time she willingly let it take control. A terrible thought came into her mind, and with a push from within her that felt so easy, so natural, it was sent to her hand. The demon shrieked in agony. The skin on the right side of his face had been pulled down from his hairline to his chin, and it dangled from his jawline like a wet t-shirt on a laundry line.

"Where is the black demon?" Julia demanded. She felt the anger inside her grow. She could taste it, like a smear of metal across her tongue.

The demon screamed and ripped the hanging skin off his face. Through his exposed muscle and skull, the blood bubbled as he chuckled. "How about I get you two together for a tea party?" he sniveled.

Julia raised her hand again.

This was suddenly so easy.

Too easy.

The bones in the demon's right leg turned to dust. The demon fell to the ground, face first. Julia was now deep inside herself, having relinquished all control. She watched as one of her legs stepped forward, and she saw her hand rise up, palm towards the demon on the ground – but she was so deep down inside, the hand looked miles away.

"You tell the black demon I am ready!" Julia heard herself scream. The man on the ground writhed in pain and try to stand up. _Oh, God, what am I doing, that's a real person in there!_ With a howl, the demon burst from his opened mouth in a gray cloud and disappeared in the wind and rain. The man slumped to the ground. Julia felt her own power diminish, shrinking down inside her.

The wind immediately seemed to lesson, and the rain slowed. Sam and Dean slowly stood, hands on their heads, shaking off their collision. Sam and Julia looked at each other across the yard, dripping in the rain, chests heaving, and adrenaline beginning to wear off.

Dean got up and pushed past Sam and rolled the man over. "Shit! Did you do that?" Dean asked Julia incredulously.

"Yeah," she lied.

"Great," said Dean. "Now we're really gonna get it. " Castiel appeared next to Dean, looking down at the demon. Dean startled, then shook his head slowly and smiled ruefully. He grabbed the front of his own t-shirt and twisted it, squeezing out the water.

"Dammit, Cas."

"Hello, Dean."

"Did you know this guy was coming?" asked Dean, pointing to the corpse.

"I knew someone was going to come, eventually. They would force her to fight and to use her powers."

"Well, thanks for practically sacrificing us for that purpose, Cas," Dean said. "And next time, maybe some kind of warning would be helpful, too!"

"We still don't know anything," said Sam from behind them. His and Julia's eyes were still locked. He pointed to her with pinched anger on his face. "You just asked where the black demon was. You said you were _ready_. What does that mean?"

Julia brought her hands to her face, shaking her head. She could barely remember speaking the words – now her mind swirled with exhaustion and confusion.

"Rain – I – I would _never_ - ," Julia sputtered.

"Are we protecting you from the black demon – or keeping you from him? Do you two want to merge together and destroy us all?"

"So….," Dean looked between Julia and Sam. "So...if Julia decided she wants to hang out with the black demon instead of destroying it...we could be really screwed."

"Yes," Castiel responded. "Really, really screwed."

Sam nodded, finally dropping his eyes. His face was twisted in confusion and sadness as he looked down at the ground.

"We need a plan," Dean said, and turned and went back into the house. Sam ran a long, slow hand over his face, then turned and followed his brother.

Castiel, for the first time, turned and looked at Julia. The shoulders of his trench coat were polka-dotted from raindrops. His eyes were the same color as his sky blue tie, except where it was wet from the rain. His face was not unkind, and he looked curious as a little boy.

"Julia," he said tonelessly. "Come with me." He took a step forward and touched a finger to her forehead before she could protest.


	4. Chapter 4

**The White Demon**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

_...here's Chapter 4! This is absolutely my favorite chapter in the whole story - it just wrote itself, basically, one quiet evening. Castiel is so fun to write...but thinking back now, I wonder if there wasn't some kind of angel looking over my shoulder as I sat at my computer that night..._**  
**

* * *

The ground tilted beneath Julia's feet. When the ground righted itself again, she staggered and fell to the asphalt surface. She and Castiel were on the sidewalk of a residential neighborhood. It could have been Anywhere, USA. Directly across the street sat a light blue home, just one in a row with endless others. It was early evening, and the street light above the girl and the angel flickered on.

Julia attempted to brush out the tiny stones from the road that had imbedded in her palm. Her hand started to bleed from the scrape. Castiel stood next to her, looking calmly across the street.

Julia stood up, totally pissed off. She began to –

"You can't hurt me here, Demon," said Cas, calmly.

"What?"

Castiel pointed with his chin to the scene in front of them, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his trench coat.

"_Watch_," he told her.

A tall, deeply tanned teenage boy dribbled a basketball in the driveway of the blue house and practiced shots into a hoop that hung over the double garage. His string bean legs shot out from loose gym shorts and a team jersey swung on his lean body. Someone else moved around inside the house, but it was too dark to see. A red sedan drove up and parked in the driveway, and Sam stepped out. Julia's heart leapt.

"Sam!" she called, but Cas touched her arm.

"He can't hear you."

"What?"

"He can't hear you."

Sam stepped out of the car but leaned back in to grab his suit coat and a briefcase. His was dressed in a crisp buttoned down shirt, silk tie, and dress pants. Smooth leather shoes reflected the street light.

Was this a dream?

"DJ!" he called to the boy. "Weren't you supposed to cut the lawn today?" Sam indicated towards the overgrowing grass and the lawnmower by the front steps.

The boy smiled and scowled at the same time, looking just like Sam. "Tomorrow, Dad, I promise!" he shot the ball quickly at Sam, who single-handedly palmed it. Sam shot it right back at him and laughed.

"Okay, okay."

They watched Sam go inside the house, tossing his jacket and case under a front table and his keys and sunglasses on top. Julia heard him give a quick shout, and the other person inside answered with a female voice. She could see Sam's silhouette move towards the other person. He kissed her and Julia could see him talking to her. Frustrated, she squinted her eyes as jealousy shot through her heart.

"I just want to see - ," Julia pleaded to Cas.

"Wait."

The anonymous person moved towards the front door. The front door light turned on as she leaned out and called,

"DJ! Time for dinner!"

It was _Julia._

Cas put his hand on her shoulder to steady her as Julia brought her hands to her face. "Oh, Cas, what is this? Please, _please_…"

"This is good, Julia. This may not be what you have now. It may not be what you ever have. But if you serve God, and fight the black demon, maybe someday you will have this."

"What – in heaven?"

"I can't say."

"Is this real?"

"In some ways, it is very real."

Julia squeezed her head between her hands, trying to think. _This damn angel is talking in circles_, she thought.

"Castiel, I want to fight the black demon, to destroy it! There is no doubt in me – I know that is what I'm supposed to do - ," her voice rose, choked with sobs.

"You have the ability to control this power, Julia. If you keep control, you will be victorious against the black demon. Be warned, even if you defeat it, you may very well die."

"….and will I come here? Is this heaven?"

The ground rocked again beneath them and they were in the back yard, looking into the kitchen through the wide sliding glass doors in the back of the blue house. Sam and his son sat down at the table and they were joined by two blonde sisters that came tumbling down from upstairs. They seemed just slightly younger than the boy, maybe around 13 or 14, giggling and tossing their hair.

"Hi Daddy!" they proclaimed, kissing and hugging Sam. Julia watched as the woman – yes, it was her – sat next to Sam and the family ate dinner. She couldn't hear much of what was being said, but Julia could see all their faces. The talking, laughing, eating. They cleaned up and brought their dishes over to the sink. The kids disappeared – the girls went back upstairs, and the son went out front with two friends to play basketball.

Sam and Julia were alone in the kitchen. She saw herself sit on the kitchen counter next to the sink as Sam pulled a beer out of the refrigerator. He popped it open and came over to her. He stood up against the counter, facing her, his body between her legs, kissing her passionately, pulling her close. As Julia watched, she shrieked and laughed when the cold beer still in Sam's hand touched her arm. He rubbed his hand against her skin and laughed with her.

Standing in the yard, Julia's skin became covered with goose pimples as if she had been the one touched by the cold bottle. She rubbed her own arm, wishing so much that she was feeling Sam's hand and not her own. Her legs shook. This was torturous. Julia watched as they leaned their foreheads together, talking.

"Cas, please…..that's enough," she whispered.

"Remember this, Julia," he said. She turned towards him, weeping.

"I don't want to remember this. I don't ever want to know this," she cried.

Cas touched a finger to her forehead. An explosion of reds and blues appeared before her eyes in staggering pain – but she saw it all.

In one instant, like a movie going light speed in front of her eyes, Julia saw the entire life Sam and she had together here in this reality._…meeting, dating, first kiss, parties, engagement, marriage, jobs, pregnancies, births, buying a home, raising a family, friends, school, sports, graduations, traveling, grandkids, retirement, life, death…_

But she didn't just _know_ everything that they did – she _felt_ it all. The times they loved, when they fought, when she could have torn her hair out because he was so stubborn, when she was standing somewhere and he would touch her hand, when she would look at him and he didn't know it, the times they just _were_. Julia wept and her stomach heaved with a sudden intense hunger her body suddenly felt after not eating for weeks.

"Cas, please…" she fell to her knees, sobbing. Her lips tasted blood from her nose, the salt from her tears, the bile rising in her throat. Her scraped hand was on fire. She was anguished and just wanted to go back to a Sam that was real, one that she could hold.

"Remember," the angel said.

* * *

Sam and Dean sat on the hood of the Impala, staring over the ocean. The night was incredibly clear, and the sea before them was calm. The half moon gave just enough light for the brothers to find the cooler for the next beer, but not enough to see each other's faces. Dean knew Sam's face was clouded with worry and his eyes kept darting back to the lawn from where Castiel and Julia had disappeared.

Dean felt calm. It was the first time in weeks that girl was gone, and he could selfishly have his brother all to himself. He wished Sam would just relax for a moment, to know that it was out of their hands – and in Castiel's. Dean gingerly placed the cold glass bottle against the lump on his head that had been created from his impact with Sam earlier that day.

Dean saw Sam trying to look at his watch in the moonlight.

"They've been gone about an hour," Dean told him. Sam wordlessly nodded.

"What do you think's going on?"

"I think Cas grabbed her when she was at her weakest – after that fight with the demon – and maybe has her holed up someplace."

Sam nervously slid off the hood of the Impala and drank the rest of his beer. With a grunt and a heave, he threw the empty bottle over the bluff and down into the ocean below. It didn't even make a sound when it landed.

"Just like that? She's just gonna be gone?"

"Sammy…."

Sam turned towards Dean, his hands raised in an angry shrug, eyes burning. "Sure, why not, right? Let's just mess with Sam's head a little bit more, right? Bring someone like that in my life – and for _what_?"

Dean rolled his empty bottle between the palms of his hands. God, how he wished none of this had happened. He wished Castiel hadn't foreseen Julia's abilities, that they hadn't found her, and that she and Sam hadn't fallen in love. Dean ached for the days of good, straight hunting – give him a vampire to behead or some bones to burn any day….but this….

Sam stared across the dark ocean. The last words he had spoken to Julia had been words of doubt – of anger – and he knew as soon as he spoke them he had been wrong. Julia wanted nothing more than to defeat the black demon, he knew that now.

Sam and Dean saw a flash in the front yard and Sam bolted towards the dark figures that suddenly appeared. Sam pushed Castiel back and fell to the ground next to Julia, who was on her hands and knees.

Julia's breath came hard and raspy. She was on her hands and knees, and the tears and snot and blood and bile ran from her face and mouth into the ground. She curled her fingers into the scrub grass under her hands and smelled the salty air of the ocean. Her silver cross around her neck swung between her chin and chest, a familiar staccato. Julia heard Sam's footsteps run towards her and he fell to the ground beside her, one hand on her back, his worried eyes seeking hers.

"Julia? Where did he take you?"

Julia shook her head, unable to speak.

He nodded, mouth in a firm, straight line, and helped her stand up. As her legs went limp, Sam scooped her up into his arms and glared at Castiel. Julia closed her eyes against the waterfall of colors that appeared in her vision, a headache like a clamp around her head.

"She will be fine," Cas said to him. "But I think she is ready for the black demon."

Julia gave a weak thumbs-up from the shadow of Sam's shoulder.

Sam brought Julia to her bed, wiping her face with a cool cloth, cleaning off the blood and tears. His concerned eyes looked into hers. "It's gonna be okay now, Sam." Julia whispered to him. Her voice hitched with a sob but she still managed a wane smile. His eyes widened with surprise.

"How do you –"

"Please." Julia lifted her hand, touching his tense cheek. She wanted so much to reassure him, to take away all the pain that she'd ever caused him, now or to come. Julia wanted so much to comfort him, like he had done for her in the weeks they had spent together. _You can lean on me now, _she thought_. Let me be your strength, now._

He pulled off her stained t-shirt and wet jeans in the dark and dressed her in a long, loose shirt from her backpack. He helped her under the covers and slipped in beside her, spooning against her body. He held her in the comfort of the silence. She soon felt his breath coming slow and steady in sleep.

With a sudden thought, Julia held her hand up in the air, attempting to see it in the pale moonlight. Sam mumbled in his sleep behind her, soft words lost against her shoulder. She ran her finger over the skin on the palm of her hand that had been cut by her fall on the asphalt. The skin was perfect. There was no blood. Not even a scrape.

* * *

_Grrrr. Grrrrrr._

_Grrrrr. Grrrrrr._

Sam mumbled and reached for his cell phone on the table next to the bed. He held it up to his ear.

"Mmm…hello?" he asked sleepily. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he realized the vibrate alarm was for a text message. Reading the text, his eyes widened.

"Julia – wake up," he gently rubbed her shoulder.

"Okay," she said, instantly awake. "What's wrong?"

"I think we have someplace we need to be," he replied, handing her the phone. Julia struggled to focus her sleepy eyes on the small text. There was a string of six numbers.

"What do these numbers mean?"

"Coordinates."

"To where?"

"I think, to the black demon."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, let's get up."

The three of them assembled in the kitchen. Julia watched over Sam's right shoulder as he brought up a mapping program on his laptop. She had one of her arms crossed over her chest, the other hand played with her silver crucifix. Dean looked over Sam's left shoulder, loudly sipping his hot coffee.

"There. Northern Idaho – outside a town called Moyie Springs. About 1,000 miles from here – a twenty hour drive."

"Great. In the middle of freakin' nowhere," snarled Dean. "That bastard."

Sam held up his phone and pressed a few buttons. "I just can't figure out who sent us these," he wondered.

"Who cares? Let's go," Julia answered and turned towards the bedroom to pack.

Sam turned in his chair and grabbed her arm. "Just like that?"

Sam looked at her with questions in his eyes. Her heart felt heavy as she realized that she could never tell him what Castiel had shown her. Seeing that other life with Sam was something she could hold onto, something she could hope for. Julia was beginning to feel that Cas was right – that she would not live through a battle with the black demon, whether she defeated him, or not.

"Yeah," Julia replied. "Just like that."

Dean raised his eyebrows, glancing between the two. He slowly put down his empty cup and walked outside.

"Julia, what is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, meeting up with the black demon is just suicide, that's what." Sam stood up and put a hand on each arm, looking at her in the face. "You can't just go and face him after a battle with one demon and some target practice."

"How long do we wait, Sam? What else could there be to do? I have to defeat the black demon – before it finds me." She tried to turn and shake off his hands. She felt cold, emotionless. He held her firm.

"What did Cas do to you?" he whispered, searching her face.

"Sam….I would give anything….to not have this happen…and…" her words came slowly. Julia felt her chest tighten. "Didn't you say it? Part of a bigger plan?"

Sam was quiet.

"…and …I don't think I am going to live through a battle with the black demon," she told him, and he visibly winced. "Sam, Rain, I love you. We have lived a lifetime in these few weeks, and I don't know…how to start to say good-bye to you now."

"Don't shut me out, Julia. Please, not yet." His face was pained.

"Okay. I promise. I'm sorry. I won't." Sam pulled her close. She held him tightly, burying her head in his chest, his shirt, smelling that rain smell, never wanting to let go.

The brothers took the front seats and Julia leaned over from the back, sometimes her chin just resting on the seat in front of her. She began telling them stories about her life, average kid stuff, and some Dad-hunter stuff she had begun to remember. Dean shared a lot of stories, too, good easy talk that came naturally, surprisingly, between them. Sam talked a little bit, and often snaked his hand up to playfully touch her hair. Sometimes they fell quiet, each lost in their thoughts, watching but not seeing as the gray ribbon of highway stretched before them.

As the Impala pulled up to a local motel for the first night's stop, Dean turned around in his seat so he could look at Sam and Julia.

"Honeymoon suite, I presume?"

Sam coughed awkwardly. Dean pulled himself out of the Impala before either of them could answer. In a few minutes, he returned from the front desk and ceremoniously handed them a room key.

"I will be at the local bar, and then I have the room next door. Just keep it down in there," said Dean.

"Yeah, just don't get in any bar fights," Sam retorted. "I am _not_ bailing your ass out of jail tonight!"

Dean smiled and walked away in the fading evening light.

"Shall we?" Julia asked. Sam nodded.

They barely made it inside the room.

* * *

The room lightened up slowly from the morning sun. Both Sam and Julia were awake to watch it. Neither of them had really slept – for one reason or another.

"Rain?" she whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever…pray?"

"Um…do you want to pray now?"

"No."

He rolled on his side to look at her and touched the hefty cross draped on her collarbone.

"What does this mean to you?" he asked.

"Well, I remember going to church a lot as a kid - every Sunday - until my dad died, and then we just stopped going. I'm not really sure why – looking back, I guess my mom knew he was a hunter and began despise the church. You know, like all that good - and he still died? But the whole religious thing – it was never about any one person for me. It was never just God or Jesus or some saint. It was a feeling. This - ," she held up her necklace, "was about everything that could be good. Does that make any sense?"

Sam looked at the crucifix and nodded. "You have to hold onto that good, okay? And stop thinking that you won't make it through this. Dean and I have your back." He kissed her tenderly. Julia could feel a swell of desire rise in her body again and pressed herself against him. For a moment, without thought, she let go of her power.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, touching his lips.

"Sorry!"

"Save it for the black demon," he smiled, and rolled out of bed. "Maybe we better get going."

Julia walked to the bathroom to wash up and get ready. She ran cool water over her hands and washed her face, brushing her hair back from her face with her damp hands. Her eyes glowed white and Julia smiled at herself. _You better be ready for this_, she told herself.

Out at the Impala, Sam tossed the bags in the trunk. They heard the door to Dean's room open and turned just in time to see a very buxom brunette saunter out of the room. She ignored Sam and Julia, snapping open a compact and staring into the mirror to refresh a coat of red lipstick. Dean followed and closed the door behind him. He cleared his throat and pretended to look innocent.

"You guys ready?"

"Yeah," laughed Sam, "are you?"

"Hell yeah!"

* * *

They crossed the border into Idaho around 2 p.m. that afternoon. Sam was driving, Julia was in the passenger seat next to him, and Dean dozed in the back.

"Guess he had a big night last night?" she ventured, indicating towards the back seat.

Sam smiled his handsome, one-sided grin. "I guess!"

Suddenly Julia didn't feel well. She felt a cold sweat on her forehead and her stomach rumbled ominously. Her insides twisted. "Sam, can you stop the car?"

"What?"

"Please Sam! Stop the car!" Sam glanced at her but slowed the car, pulling it to the side of the road. Julia attempted to open the door even before the car had come to a full stop. The door swung open wide, and caught off balance, she tumbled out and scraped her hand on the asphalt surface.

"What the - ," Dean muttered, coming awake. Sam scooted across the front seat to exit out of the Impala on the passenger side and knelt on the ground next to her. For a moment, Julia stared at her bleeding hand, and then pressed it to her tight chest. It was hard to breath. She was hot, not white demon hot, but with a fever. A wave of nausea overcame her.

"Oh God ohgodohgodoh - ," She gagged and spit up a clump of gray slime. She was shaking and could only see a waterfall of green and red in front of her eyes. She shook with a sudden, violent chill.

Julia hear Dean pull out his cell phone and call Bobby. "We need your help – now she's puking….see what you can find….." His boots crunched away.

"Hey, hey…Julia, it's okay –," Sam rubbed her back. He could already feel sweat soaking through her shirt. She gagged and coughed up some more of the slime.

"Oh God, that is _awful,_" she managed to sputter. Julia spit awkwardly and wiped her chin, grimacing at the taste. She shuddered and clenched her eyes.

Dean clicked his phone shut bent down next to Julia. She was still bent over, clutching her stomach, on her knees. "Bobby's gonna start looking for information. Maybe we should get to a motel." Dean said. There was surprising tenderness in his voice. He leaned down close to her and put his hand on her head. "We'll get you someplace you can rest, okay? Just try not to ectoplasm all over the inside of my car."


	5. Chapter 5

**The White Demon**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

_Hey all! Thank you so much for continuing to stick with this story! It means so much! Its been a labor of love to write it, and I know you know what I'm talking about - that story that starts as a little idea, and then grows so big your fingers can't type it fast enough...anyway, I digress! Enjoy, and please review! Thank you!_

* * *

Sam tapped nervously on the keyboard of his laptop, scanning the screen. He could not find anything – neither could Bobby – on this unexpected circumstance. He looked over at the figure on the bed. Julia' breath was coming hard and raspy and her skin was ashen and slick with sweat. Blonde hair stuck crazily to her face. Her hands and feet twitched. Sam went to the bathroom and ran a small towel under the cool water. He sat on the bed beside her and wiped her face, pulling the sweat-soaked hair back from her face.

Julia opened her eyes. They were a cloudy milky-white, the blue of her eyes barely visible. She tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. "Where's Dean?"

Sam's eyes opened wide in surprise. "He's getting some food. But that's the last person I thought you would ask for."

"I want him here – just in case."

"Julia, nothing is going to happen. You're still in control, and you'll continue to be in control, all right?"

"I made him promise, Rain."

Sam was quiet. Somehow he already knew that Julia had made his brother promise to kill her if the circumstances demanded it. Before he could speak, Sam heard the key turn in the lock and the door swing open behind him. Dean came in with a bag of hamburgers and a six-pack of beer. Julia looked sidelong at him. Sam knew it hurt to even move her head.

"Did you bring something for me? Just kidding."

"How do you feel?" Dean asked her.

"Like a bad flu…times one-thousand," she replied.

Dean smiled and nodded to Julia, but Sam could see his eyes were telling him something. Dean jerked his head to the door. Sam walked out the door of the motel room and nearly bumped into Cas standing outside under the harsh lights in the parking lot.

"Cas!" Sam greeted him.

"How is she?"

"Um, I don't know…did Dean tell you about the slime she puked up?"

Castiel nodded a curt reply.

Dean came out to join them. "There's no way she could go up against the black demon, Cas. If she goes anywhere near it, she's just easy pickin's."

"I think it's a risk you have to take," Cas replied, deadpan.

Dean came face to face with the angel. "Cas, is there something you're not telling us? Something that you know?"

Sam heard Julia moan behind them and cough. He ran in to see Julia pull her head out of the garbage bucket they had placed next to the bed. "Ugh," she said, "Just more slime. Was that Cas out there?"

"Yeah."

"Tell him that if I can control a nuclear reactor of powers inside of me, then I sure as hell know if an angel is standing outside my front door." Julia sounded annoyed. "Don't treat me like a kid, okay? I know what's going on." She coughed again, put her hand to her mouth, and swallowed. "I just want to rest for another hour or so, and then let's get on the road again. I'm not going to get any better sitting in this room."

Julia closed her eyes and lay back on the bed, exhausted. Dark circles ringed her eyes. Sam took the cold cloth and pressed it to her forehead again. Julia sighed in appreciation.

"I'm tired, Rain," she said. "But also…I feel strange. There is something pulling at me, someplace I need to be. We need to get to the coordinates, soon."

Dean came back in with arms crossed. "She's right. I say we get there as quick as we can."

"Looks like I am outvoted," frowned Sam.

_Sam was running through a thick forest, chasing Julia. He saw glimpses of her blonde hair just ahead, and could hear her body crashing crazily through the trees. He was breathing hard and could barely call her name._

"_Wait!" he gasped._

_A fir tree branch snapped him in the face, smarting his eyes. Sam was angry and tired. His feet and arms were wet and cold from the damp forest but he was also hot and thirsty._

"_Julia, wait!"_

_He could see ahead she had paused in a small clearing. He burst ahead to catch up before she began running again. Immediately he realized it was a little girl. Sam ran up to her and put his hand on her arm. She turned to look at him, and he looked into the face of a very young Julia. Sam pulled his hand back in disbelief. He was not able to talk, only stare at her. Julia turned towards the clearing again and raised her little hand, pointing. There, Sam heard in his head. She was pointing to a pile of large boulders. There._

Sam woke, snapping his head up from the motel table. He grimaced in pain. He had been bent over, next to his laptop, asleep. _Asleep!_ He didn't even remember being tired. He felt as if his adrenaline had been set to "on" ever since he had pulled the Impala over to the side of the road to let Julia puke up some slime. He glanced at his watch. It was 2 a.m. Sam stood up shakily. He still felt drowsy and - drugged?

"Dean, get up!" Sam shook Dean's leg as he walked by his bed. Dean mumbled something about 'no rest for hunters' and rubbed his eyes. "Dean, something's happened. I think we were drugged, or got a spell on us – I don't know."

Sam went over to Julia's bed and felt around. It was empty. Dean clicked on the lamp next to his bed, and the brothers blinked in the glare of the sudden light.

"She's gone," they said in unison.

Sam noticed a shiny object almost completely hidden by the pillow. He held up Julia's silver necklace and crucifix. The cross was misshapen, bent in on itself and twisted.

Dean shook his head when he saw it. "That's not good," he said.

* * *

Julia was inside something. It was hard to move, and there was only black around her. She felt jostled, like she was being carried in a sack. She could move, a little bit, and when she looked up, she could see a very small window of light far above her. She was able to stretch a hand up towards it, but it was too far away to reach. Julia heard something muffled, like someone talking.

Her heart stood still for a moment. A feeling of dread and horror came over her when she realized the black demon had possessed her – she was trapped inside her own body - and now it was in total control.

"No!" She shouted, trying to twist and push her way out. "Arrgghh!" The sack around her stretched and moved, but she couldn't even grab onto it or rip through it. Her body shook in anger and disbelief. She panted, screamed, and kicked. _"Rain! Rain!"_

The black demon smirked as it felt Julia awaken inside him. It knew she was struggling with the realization that it had possessed her body. It had been almost too easy – she was so weak and confused, torn by a duty to destroy it and to love that boy – it had just decided to step forward and take over.

The demon headed out the motel parking lot and down the road, moving Julia's body into a slow job. It knew exactly where it was going. They had miles to go. After a few moments, the demon looked down at its arm. Julia had somehow reached up from inside and with the fingernails of her left hand, dug into the flesh of her right forearm.

"You want to play?" the demon snarled. It took control of the hand and forced the fingers down deep into the flesh of the arm until the fingernails scraped bone. It let Julia feel the agony and heard her scream.

"Now stay quiet," it admonished.

It followed the local road for about an hour. The sun was just beginning to rise. The demon growled when a local police cruiser pulled up in front of it and parked. The officer stepped out of the car. The demon stopped.

"How are you this morning?"

The demon only nodded Julia's head in response.

"Good mornin' for a run...but I noticed maybe you hurt your arm, ma'am." The officer pointed to Julia's arm. Dried blood now covered the wound on her forearm, but her hand and pant leg where the blood had dripped were soaked red.

The demon continued to stare at the officer.

"Okay, hon, you got some identification on you?" The officer held out a hand to Julia, and at the same time, bent his head to begin talking on the radio on his shoulder. "Unit 440, I'm gonna need –," the officer's eyes opened wide and his hands dropped to his side.

The demon had a hand up, palm towards him, eyes black. The demon spun the man's head quickly, snapping his neck, and he let Julia see. The demon heard her scream. it stood over the officer's body, and just for fun, decided to pull whatever was in the man's chest – out. Then it grabbed the keys out of the officer's pocket and got in the cruiser. This was going to be much better than walking.

* * *

Back in the motel room, Dean looked up to the ceiling. "Cas? We're gonna need you."

Nothing.

"I'm tired, Dean," Sam said softly. He sat on the edge of Julia's bed, staring at but not seeing the twisted crucifix in his hand.

"Hey, Sammy, we'll find her, okay? And then you two can go off and make some babies and have that life that you want. Don't look at me like that – I know you too well. I can see what's been going on behind those eyes of yours. That life – you need that a lot more than me. And deserve it more. Just promise to name your first born after me, okay?"

"Dean - ," Sam didn't even have it in his heart to protest. Dean was right. He wanted to grab Julia and disappear from this life. It was a thought that kept circling in the back of his head, but it took his brother to say the words. Sam sighed and his hands flopped at his sides. "Okay. So we head to the coordinates?"

"I don't know. That's where we were heading to anyway, so why didn't the demon just wait for us to get there? Unless it wanted to get there faster?"

"Maybe Julia got scared. Maybe she didn't want to go face-to-face with the black demon and she took off. Ran away." Sam said.

"No, not her. I don't think so."

Dean's phone rang. It was Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby. No, she's not here. Um, no….it might be the black demon. We don't know where she is." Dean winced and held the phone away from his ear. Sam could hear every expletive Bobby shouted – and even learned a few.

Dean put the phone to his ear again. "A cop? I guess it could be Julia. Okay, Bobby, thanks, we are on it. Yup, we'll be careful." Dean hung up.

"Bobby just got a call from a local hunter named Hank," Dean told Sam. Bobby had been keeping in close contact with the hunters in the area, knowing that they would keep him apprised of any signs of the black demon.

"….and?"

"Hank told Bobby there was a report of a cop getting killed a few miles from here early this morning….and seems like the demon did a little autopsy on him." He paused. "And there is a hurricane warning in that direction, too. It's leading away from the coordinates."

"Okay," said Sam, grabbing his coat and slamming his laptop shut, "Let's go."

"Wait, Sammy," said Dean. "What about the coordinates?"

"Maybe we should split up – you take the coordinates, I'll follow Julia's trail."

Dean was quiet. He didn't like the idea. Sam would be so vulnerable, and Dean would not be there to protect him.

"Sammy…"

"Dean, if it's just the demon, I'll kill it. I know I can."

"But it's going to be the demon – inside of Julia. Are you telling me you can look at her face –," Dean shook his head. "We don't even know _how_ to kill it. Remember Sam, this is no normal demon. No salt, no holy water, no demon trap is going to stop it."

"Yeah, I know."

"Sam, listen to me," Dean's voice was raised. "She might be too far gone – if the black demon is in control now, you may not be able to pull her out. And if it's done damage to her -," Dean watched as Sam dropped his eyes.

"Oh, man, I am sorry," Dean talked quieter now. "I just don't know if you can save her."

"I have to try," Sam whispered.

Dean nodded. "Okay. Let's get you a car and get going." Dean raised a finger, warning Sammy. "But dammit, Sammy, please be careful. I'm gonna get to the coordinates, see what's there, and get back to you as fast as I can."

Sam cleared his throat. "If it's the black demon that sent us that coordinates, it could be a trap. You be careful, too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly. For once, he had the radio off. Even his favorite songs were making it hard to think. His phone, beside him on the seat Sam usually occupied, silently guided Dean towards the designated coordinates. Then, it rang. It was Sam.

"Miss me already?" asked Dean.

"No. Not at all."

"What's up?"

"When you get to the coordinates…can you look for….a big bunch of rocks?" even Sam sounded uncertain.

"Hm. A big bunch of rocks in the middle of the forest in the middle of Idaho. Sure, okay Sammy, I will be sure to keep a lookout," Dean replied sarcastically. "And tell me, why am I looking for this certain big pile of rocks?"

The last thing Sam wanted to tell Dean was that he thought he had any kind of vision in a dream. "Just trust me on this, Dean. Please."

Dean relented and agreed. He clicked off the phone and mentally calculated the miles towards his destination: just another hour or so. He opened the Impala's driver's side window and let the warm air blow across his face. On second thought, he pushed a tape into the tape deck and blasted the music so he wouldn't have to think.

Dean arrived in town and pulled up to the local bar to wet his lips and get his bearings. _Looks like the middle of No-wheres-ville, USA, _he thought to himself. The town consisted of a main street with the town hall and a couple of store fronts, and a few residential neighborhoods. Dean cursed to himself as he realized he would have to hike a few miles into the forest to reach his destination. It was an easy decision to have a beer first.

Dean pushed the door to the bar open and let his eyes adjust to the dim interior before taking a seat at the bar. "Beer and a burger," Dean told the aging bartender as he looked up. The bartender went to say something, but instead adjusted his loose dentures by jamming a finger into the roof of his mouth and went back into the kitchen to place the order. Dean blanched inwardly, wondering if he'd be able to eat his burger after seeing that.

"Welcome to town." Dean turned to see a wispy elderly woman sitting a few seats down who spoke to him. She had a calm appearance about her. Her white hair was pulled back in a loose bun, and she wore a crisp peach shirt and a khaki skirt.

"Thanks. Seems real nice here," Dean replied. "I am reporter doing stories on America's undiscovered little towns, you know, the real 'gems' that no one knows about."

The lady smiled and took a sip of her beer. "Oh yeah, this place is a real gem, that's for sure. Would you like me to bring you up to date on the local history?"

Dean took a swallow of his beer before answering, attempting to remain calm. "Geez, anything good?"

The bartender reappeared from the kitchen. "Marianne, watch your mouth," he warned the old lady. She stared intently into her beer and didn't speak to Dean again. On her way out, she seemed to give him a nod.

After his meal, Dean inquired about any motels in the area.

"Nope, not anymore. Closed down a few years ago. Not many people up this way anymore," the bartender answered. Swearing to himself, Dean realized he would be sleeping in the Impala that night. Dean left the bar and walked up the main street. A few small businesses were open – a yarn shop, a nail salon, a post office. Dean mounted the steps to the town hall, and cupping his hands over his eyes and leaning against the glass, he looked through the door. There was someone sitting at the front desk, reading.

_I'll make Sammy proud,_ Dean thought to himself. _I'll give this research thing a try._

Dean pushed open the stubborn door, whose hinges protested noisily. The old man flipped a page in his book, not even looking up. Cobwebs hung down limply from the gold reading lamp next to the man, and a thick dust seemed to cover his entire desk.

"Ah don't know if we have whatcha need," he muttered. Dean chuckled.

"All right, speedy. Okay if I just check for myself?"

The man jerked his head in the direction a door across the room through the dim, dusty sunbeams. Dean nodded a thank you but it was ignored. _What is it with the old people in this town?_ Dean asked himself.

* * *

Sam's face was set in stone. He pushed the perky little sedan he had borrowed from Hank up to 80 miles an hour on the freeway. The steering wheel danced in his palms, warning him he was maxing out the engine.

Sam had passed the site of the officer's unfortunate demise about an hour ago. He hadn't stopped to play FBI – he knew there was nothing he could glean from the investigators already on site, and he wanted to get to where he thought Julia was quickly. He turned up the volume on the radio so he could hear the local weather reports over the complaints of the car's engine.

Hank had called Sam, informing him of a local gas station robbery. Two employees had been killed by shard of flying glass. Sam drove by the site, noting the blown out windows and the twisted metal were certain signs of the black demon's work. Hank also told Sam of the location of the ditched police cruiser.

The two-lane highway stretched out in front of him, endless rows of green corn on either side. The corn swayed in the increasing winds, like a church choir, lamenting sins in their weary song. Sam didn't listen. He continued to follow the weather reports on the radio, heading due south towards the heart of the storm system. Begrudgingly, he stopped for gas at a small filing station and cafe hours later. His stomach growled with hunger, and he popped open his laptop while he ate a quick lunch. The internet connection was slow, but Sam began to research the town of Mojie Springs, Idaho.

Getting quickly back on the road, Sam listened to the weather reports only to realize the storm had dissipated. He drove for a while more, frustrated. As night fell, Sam knew he had to stop and get some rest. Pulling into the motel parking lot, Sam rested his head against the steering wheel. He was stiff from sitting in the cramped seat all day, upset from not knowing what to do.

"Julia, Julia," he cried out loud. He banged his head softly against the steering wheel. What had he always told her? _Control, control. _He had to remain in control of his emotions in order to find her and save her. He checked into the motel and stretched out on the bed, laptop open, seeking answers. He called Dean to check in.

"This is one weird town, Sammy," Dean told him. "It's like death's waiting room. I'm not kidding."

"Hmph. Anything else?"

"You'd be proud, little brother. I did research at the town hall. Here's the thing – no births, no new residents – for two hundred years."

"What? Are you sure?"

Dean grunted, knowing that on the other end of the line his brother's brow was furrowed.

"I had a chance to do a little research, too," Sam continued. "Seems like there was some kind of plague in that area about two hundred years ago. Everything in the area died, Dean. People, cattle, wildlife. Then there was a massive forest fire. Something was at work."

"Something white or something black?" asked Dean.

"Dean...,"

"I'll head into the woods tomorrow morning, first light. I'll be looking for your big rocks, genius. Any leads on Julia – or what you are going to do with her when you find her?"

"Bobby and I are working on that. Let me know what you find tomorrow." The brothers signed off.

* * *

A few miles away from Sam's motel, the black demon slipped into an abandoned barn for the night. It had taxed Julia's body and mind this day, and needed to rest. She was still so human, her flesh so soft and weak. But mentally she was the strongest it had ever encountered. But the black demon was patient. It would wear her down, just like it had done to all the rest. And when it did, the black demon knew it would absorb all her white demon power and become omnipotent.

The demon yawned and stretched and nestled against some moldy bales of hay. It was getting harder and harder to control that girl. He could feel that she had not stopped fighting…pushing and pushing….but the black demon knew it would not be long before she would be silenced forever.

Julia waited hours, finally feeling the demon enter a some kind of restful trance. She knew where they were – she had gotten a really good look at the barn before her body entered it – and she pulled that image to the front of her mind. Julia pulled her knees up to her chin and closed her eyes. She thought of the image of the barn, and thought of Rain, and _pushed._

The demon came awake, knowing at once what she was doing. "You miserable bitch!" it snarled. It stood up and at full speed, rammed Julia's body into a large vertical wooden beam in the middle of the barn. The let her feel the pain, and Julia screamed and moaned inside it. The demon staggered up, turned around, and did it again. And again. And again.

Sam woke from a deep sleep, gasping and sweating.

_A barn_.

He could see it perfectly in his mind. He knew Julia was there, and she was close. As he rose quickly to dress and get to the car, he felt a staggering pain in his head. Sam knew this was a connection to Julia – the demon was hurting her – and he had to get there fast. He pulled on his clothes, grimaced and shook his head at the next wash of pain, and staggered to the front desk. It was 3 a.m.

The night clerk blinked sleepily at Sam. "I need to find a barn, it's big, but its old…gray with a – a- red door, I think….and there is a fence around it?"

The man yawned. "Yeah, you came to the right place for barns, son. I think you are thinking of Mosely's old place, about five miles up this Route 87 here…." The clerk pulled out a map.

Sam graciously thanked him and pulled out his phone to call Bobby on the way to his car. "Bobby, how soon can you get here?"

"I'm just right outside the town."

"Okay, Bobby." Sam gave him directions to the barn and clicked off the phone. He took a deep breath and headed up Route 87 in the small sedan.

The barn stood solitary and silent at the end of a large field. Sam turned off the car lights and crept the car closer, but then shut off the engine and listened. It was incredibly quiet. The distant, misplaced sound of a plane overhead made Sam lift his eyes to the skies. He was always amazed at how clear the night skies were in the open country. There were more stars than his eyes could ever absorb.

Sam heard a muffled cough and a moan from inside the barn and snapped back to attention. As gently as he attempted to walk, the dry grass under his feet sounded like firecrackers in the quiet. He got to the half open barn door and paused. After a moment, he pulled out his gun and a flashlight and held them ready.

Sam gulped and stepped into the barn.

He quickly shone the flashlight around to get his bearings. A pile of hay, some horse stalls -

Julia lay in an awkward heap against a large beam in the middle of the barn. Her body was half on the barn floor, half slouched against the beam. Her arms were listless at her side. Sam could see that her eyes were open, looking at him. Blue eyes. She coughed again and a blood gurgled from her mouth and down her chin.

Sam's body quivered. He wanted to run to her, to pick her up, but he had to make sure the demon was not playing him for a fool. He kept his gun and light trained on her.

"Julia?" he whispered, narrowing his eyes. "Is that you?"

She slowly blinked once.

"Is – is that once for 'yes'?"

She slowly blinked once again.

Sam turned and began walking towards her with his back to her, circling and swinging the light around the barn, looking for any sign of the black demon, but it seemed all clear.

Sam holstered the gun and went to her side. He was almost afraid to touch her – he didn't want to hurt her any more that she was. She winced in pain and moaned as he gently lay her down on her side, hands running over her body, inventorying her injuries. Her mouth lay open, slack, her body limp and battered, but her eyes never left him.

"I'm here now, okay, it's Rain? Right?"

Julia closed her eyes and did not open them again.

"No, _no, no,_ you stay with me now, I got you, Julia, okay, _Julia stay with me_!" Sam lifted her into his arms and she opened her eyes again.

Blinked twice. Closed them again.

"Julia, _nonoNONO_! We are going to beat this, remember, control, and right now Julia you have control and you did so great getting control, there's a life - another life waiting for us -," Sam's words were running together in his panic, he was not sure what to say, as long as he kept talking. He heard Bobby's van outside. Julia's head lolled to the side.

Sam yelled for Bobby to come in quickly. Bobby came running in, flashlight bobbing in the dark. Another figure came in behind him, slowly.

"Cas?"

"Yeah, Sam," said Bobby. "Hope you don't mind. He wanted to come along for the ride. You know, God as my co-pilot." Bobby looked at Julia. "Jesus, what happened to her?"

"I think she had a little one-on-one with the black demon. She's pretty beat up."

Cas knelt down next to Julia. He put his hand on her head, his thumb stroking her forehead. She opened her eyes and shuddered as she looked at the angel. "You will be on the side of God, demon." Cas told her. Her eyes looked blankly at him as she coughed again. There was quiet in the barn, except for Julia's raspy, rapid breathing. Cas bowed his head. Her breathing slowed. Her face relaxed in a restful sleep.

Sam tenderly lifted her body and placed her on the floor of the van. He knelt beside her, attempting to wipe the blood off her swollen and battered face. Bobby handed Sam a blanket and he gently covered her.

"Thank you," Sam said, wiping his hands on his jeans as he ducked out of the back of the van. He felt relief – he didn't know what kind of shape Julia was in, mentally or physically, but at least now he could take care of her.

"Don't thank me, thank this one," Bobby nodded to Cas. "He's been thinking up all kinds of spells to lay on the van to keep that demon at bay for the ride home." The entire inside of the van was covered with sigils.

"Hopefully, we won't need them. I think Julia is back in control," Sam said.

Castiel shook his head. "The black demon is in there, Sam. I could feel its presence. Somehow she has pushed it down, but I am not sure for how long."

Bobby slapped his hand on Sam's shoulder. "Let's get her home, boy," he said softly.

"If you don't mind, I will just meet you there," said Cas.

Bobby guhaffed. "Ridin' with that demon makes you uncomfortable?" he asked, but Cas was already gone.

"How's your brother doing?" Bobby asked Sam as they were seated in the van, headed home. Sam chuckled as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his brother's number. It was barely dawn.

"I think I will give him a wakeup call and see," Sam replied.

Dean swore when he heard the phone. "Dude…." He mumbled into the phone. "It's too early…"

"I'm not disturbing you and any company, am I?"Sam chuckled.

"Hell no, there are no motels in this damned town…I slept in the car. And now I gotta hike into the woods…," he yawned and stretched.

"I got Julia."

"_What?"_

"I got her, Dean, and Bobby and I are headed back to his place. Cas helped. She still possessed, but somehow she's got some control. She's pretty beat up, but I got her."

Dean could hear Sam gulp on the phone. Dean knew his brother was fighting back tears.

"Sammy, I'm so glad. You take care of her, and I'll meet you back at Bobby's, okay?"

Sam could only manage a 'yup' and clicked off. Dean stepped out of the Impala into the cool morning air, took a look around, and started walking.

Dean felt his feet pound the earth and thought about his brother. He was worried about Sam. And as much as he liked Julia, he wasn't sure how much he could trust her. It was hard to know what demon was in control. If there was a chance that they could save Julia, Dean would do it...but not at the expense of his brother.

About a mile in, Dean heard someone following him. A few snapping branches behind him instantly set him into high alert. He slowed his pace just barely, ears and eyes tuned to the forest around him. Dean began to walk to the west instead of the north, planning on making a large circle and coming up behind whoever was behind him. It didn't take him long to see a white-haired figure in the woods ahead of him. Dean pulled his handgun out of his waist.

"Hey!" he called to the figure. She stopped mid-stride and turned to look at him. It was the lady from the bar. She was dressed in a blue t-shirt, hiking shorts and boots, and had a small backpack.

"Marianne, right?" Dean asked. She nodded.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I was about to ask you the same, darling," Dean replied.

"Are you Sam?"

"What?"

"Are you Sam Winchester? Or Dean? I bet you're Dean," she smiled, nodding her head at him.

"And who are you?"

"I'm a hunter, just like you."

Dean's eyes narrowed, but he lowered his gun. "Did you text these coordinates to Sam?"

"Yes, that was me. I thought the mystery of it would pull you here. I was right," she said, sitting down on a stump on the side of the trail. "You're heading to the stones, aren't you?"

"Sure," Dean bluffed. "The stones." Sam's strange query resonated in his head.

"Good. I'll help you get what you need," she gently patted her backpack, now resting at her feet.

"And what exactly is it that I need?"

Marianne sighed. "Let me tell you a story, Dean. You see, two hundred years ago, a darling girl named Ella became a white demon. And just like now, the black demon awoke, seeking her, seeking her power. They battled. That girl did not want to die – but Ella wasn't strong enough, so the black demon possessed her. And when it did, it lay waste to the land. Everything – and everyone – was destroyed. But a man came here and he had the white demon knife. He was a hunter. Don't know where he got the knife, so don't ask. Well, it killed him doin' it, but that hunter put that knife right through Ella's poor heart. It killed her, but only scared off the black demon. And now, two hundred years later, that evil creature is back, looking for the latest reincarnate.

"I never had to tell anyone this story, Dean. Never needed to. See, everyone in town, we're the descendants of a few survivors from that tragedy so long ago. We've been living here, waiting for the next cycle to begin. And that man that was the hunter – he was my grandpa. You're going to need the white demon knife to get rid of that thing when it takes over this next girl's body – bless her soul." Marianne lowered her head.

"So the black demon can never be destroyed? It just keeps coming back?"

Marianne stood up, her eyes sad, and shrugged her backpack into place. "It's some kind of symbiotic relationship. Something strange we may never understand. But every two hundred years, a white demon is created, and the black demon rises again. I heard there's a way to destroy them both, but I don't know it. Was hoping you would."

Dean shook his head.

"Then let's just kick it in the ass so its gone for the next two hundred years," she replied. "Com'on."

Dean nodded wordlessly and let her take the lead on the trail. For the next two miles they didn't speak a word, and Dean was impressed by her prowess on the rocky path. Finally they entered a clearing, and in the middle lay several large boulders heaped in a pile.

Marianne walked over to one of the largest and put her hand upon it. "The Ella's body and the knife are buried under these stones."

Dean could see Marianne's hand shake as she pushed a strand of hair away from her face. She pulled her backpack open where it lay on the ground. Dean's hand twitched towards his weapon, at the ready. Marianne pulled out three sticks of dynamite.

"Shit!" Dean cried. "What the hell - ?"

"We have to get to the grave. It's under that pile of stones. It's the only way to get the knife."

Dean breathed deeply and put his hand up. "Okay, I'm going to believe you. But just wait a second. This new girl – her name is Julia – we think she's the white demon. I've seen some things, some powers from her that I have never seen before. And I've seen a lot. Are you sure there is no way that she can defeat the black demon? She will just get possessed and we'll have to use the knife to kill her?"

Marianne's eyes narrowed. "Dean, I know of no other way. But there is a book that my pa used to have. Got stolen by demons when I was a little girl. It was my grandpa's journal. And it was the journal of the hunter that killed the white demon before that, and before that. If you find it, that book may have some answers. I hope you can save Julia."

"Thank you," he told her.

Marianne walked towards the heap and bent down, jamming the dynamite in a space between the ground and the largest stone. The forest was waking in the early light; a chorus of birds sang in the trees. The sun reflected off the dew on the soft forest grass. Dean felt misplaced in all this beauty and bounty. He was seeing himself and this whole circumstance as a stain upon this lush valley.

"So Marianne, how exactly do we set this dynamite off?" he asked her.

"Like this," she replied. Dean saw her strike a match against a boulder and light the short fuse.

"_Marianne!_" Dean yelled. She turned to him with a smile.

"It's okay. I've been waiting for this for a long time. You better run, now."

The fuse grew shorter. Dean spun and ran into the forest, launching himself into a small ravine as the explosion blasted behind him.

"Son of a bitch!" he cried out. He heard small rocks rain down around him and he covered his head with his arms. After a moment, to make sure there were no additional blasts, he slowly stood up and shook his head. Dean's ears were ringing from the blast, he was covered with mud, and his arms burned from scrapes acquired as he landed against the rocky ground.

He felt shocked at Marianne's ability to commit such an unselfish act - he just hoped the dynamite was enough to uncover the grave and recover the knife. He headed back into the clearing.

* * *

It actually felt good to moan. To use her own voice, to feel her own body tremble, to feel her own pain. Julia could feel the black demon inside, pacing, biding his time until he could return to power. She knew she had to gain strength quickly to keep him at bay.

Julia opened her eyes – as much as she could. Her eyes, in fact her whole face, felt really swollen. Her chest ached when she tried to take a deep breath. Her feet felt like they were on fire.

"Hey," said Sam, sitting next to the cot. Julia reached out a hand and he held it on his cheek, and then kissed it.

"My head feels like a pumpkin," she mumbled.

"It's not that bad," he paused, and she managed a glare in his direction. "Okay, yes it is. Julia, what the hell happened in that barn?"

"The demon was pissed, Sam. I sent you that image of the barn and it started to slam me around. But something kind of clicked…like I was able to let it feel the pain, instead. And in that moment when it was weak, I could grab it – and push it down…..God, everything hurts."

She felt tears leak out from her eyes. She blinked them away and looked up at a fan circling above her head. The walls of the room looked like they were covered in…an iron cladding? She attempted to sit up but yelped with pain, grabbing her ribs.

"Just take it easy, Julia," Sam said, pushing her back down on the cot and rearranging the blanket.

"Where am I? Some kind of prison?"

"It's a safe room that Bobby built. We're at his house. You're just here to stay safe, and to get better. Until we figure everything out."

"I'm feeling better," she pouted, choking back a sob. She was heartbroken – beaten up, weak, and a helpless prisoner. All of her worst fears.

"I just need you to rest and we'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay," she closed her eyes, too weak to argue.

Almost instantly she dreamt. It was the same dream again – the same dream she had been having for years. Julia was a little girl, around seven years old. She was walking through a thick forest, looking up at the early sun as it shone through the thick pine branches. She pushed the last of the branches aside and suddenly came out to a large clearing. She walked through the cool, green grass, with the bottom of her delicate white night dress soaked from the dew. Her long, straight blonde hair reached almost to her waist, swinging gently. Little Julia walked to the middle of the clearing, and looked up at a pile of large stones.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Sam watched her until she fell asleep. He stared at her for a long time. Even though her face was swollen and bruised, cut and scraped, he could see the beauty in it. His heart leapt every time she looked at him with those blue eyes. He ran his hand through his hair and stood up to leave. Dean should be arriving soon, and he was eager to see what his brother had found.

Still, he stood looking at her. He was a fool. He hated himself. He knew in his heart she would have to die. But he loved her deeply, the kind of love where you are so connected you need to reach down inside that other person to feel yourself. He loved her, he hated himself. His head swirled and he felt numb. Sam clenched his fists and felt his heart pound in his ears. If anyone was going to have to kill her, he already decided it would be him.

As he opened the door to leave, the iron hinges grated and squealed. Julia stirred in her sleep.

"Rain…" she mumbled.

Sam walked back over to her cot. Her head tossed. He whispered to her, "I'll be right back, okay? I'll be right back."

Julia sighed deeply. Sam heard Bobby come down the basement stairs.

"Sam, your brother is here," he said.

Sam nodded, left the room, and swung and locked the heavy door behind him.

Upstairs, Dean slugged his second shot of booze and indicated for Bobby to fill a third. His clothes were smeared with mud and a thick scab covered a cut on his head. His face was weary. Dean's backpack lay at his feet under Bobby's kitchen table. Dean told them about the chilling town and meeting up with Marianne in the woods. He related his conversation with her carefully, not wanting to subject Sam to her opinion of Julia's certain fate. Dean knew Sam was unable, at this point, to be an objective decision-maker about Julia. Until Dean spoke privately with Bobby, he was going to protect his little brother from the pain those details would cause.

Instead, Dean told Sam and Bobby that he entered the clearing after the blast, the largest stone had been displaced enough that was able to dig down to an old grave.

"So they didn't think it was dead enough? They covered the grave with boulders?" asked Bobby.

Dean nodded. "Huge stones, Bobby. It was an old grave, that's for sure. The bones were still there, so I salted and burned them, just for luck. And the knife was right there, still tucked between its ribs, like it had just been stabbed….and…there's one more thing. I don't know if it was the lack of sleep or whatever…" Dean paused.

"Go ahead!" prompted Bobby.

"Well, I thought I saw a little girl….watching me, from the woods. I kept going in there, looking for her, but there was nothing. She was there, I swear….long blonde hair…" Dean's voice drifted off and he looked at Sam. Sam avoided his gaze and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Dean's eyes narrowed as he looked at his brother, but he said nothing.

"Sammy, how did you know about the stones?" Dean asked slowly. Sam shoved his hands deep into his pockets and didn't answer.

"Well, okay. But you got the knife, right?" remarked Bobby.

Dean nodded, and with a flourish, he pulled the knife out of his backpack.

The handle was thick, almost too round to get a good grip, and seemed to be made of a polished granite stone. Below the wide circular hilt, the wide, shiny blade extended down to a fine point. Ancient characters from some ancient, long-ago language covered the blade. At most, the entire object was about twelve inches long, heavy and ill-balanced.

"Well that's not very impressive," remarked Bobby. Dean handed it to him, and Bobby turned it over in his hands. "What's it made of? Silver? Titanium?"

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. I think the power is in those symbols." He had no sooner said the words when there was a blood-chilling howl from the safe room downstairs.

"Julia!" Sam cried, and all three of the men rushed downstairs. Sam reached to open the door to the safe room, but Dean grabbed his arm.

"Sammy, wait. You can't just go barging in there -," yelled Dean. There was another howl that rose up into a scream.

"Dean, I have to help her!" said Sam.

"That black demon will tear you apart!"

"Julia won't let it. I know she won't!" The brothers stood face to face, eyes blazing. Dean was impressed with Sam's faith in the possessed girl, but he still did not want to let his brother go in.

"Just calm down, both of you!" Bobby interjected, coming between the brothers. "Just take a look first." He reached over to the door to open the sliding peephole. Instantly, all three were blinded by the stream of vivid white light that came through the slot in the door.

Bobby slid it shut quickly. All three were speechless, then Sam reached swiftly for the door and hauled it open before Dean or Bobby could stop him. The blazing white light forced them all to take a step back, shielding their eyes with their arms. A high piercing whistle could be heard coming from the room.

"Julia!" Sam cried, and plunged into the room. He was instantly lost in the light.

They heard Julia scream again, a screeching, wailing sound that ended in a guttural moan. Dean and Bobby looked at each other for a moment, feeling the hairs go up on the back of their necks.

"_Sammy!_" Dean hollered. Dean took a few halting steps into the room. He felt Bobby's hand upon his shoulder, and together they struggled into the piercing glow.

"You see him?" Bobby yelled, but it was all Dean could do to overcome the sensory overload of the light and sound and take a step forward.

Then it stopped. The sudden darkness of the room – the dead quiet – was more unnerving than the light and high whistling sound. Bobby and Dean felt a sudden cool breeze touch their faces, and then dissipate. As their eyes adjusted, Dean and Bobby were able to see Sam in the corner of the room, holding Julia. They had their arms around each other in a loving embrace.

"Are you two okay?" Bobby asked, approaching them quietly.

The two looked up at Dean and Bobby and smiled. Julia's face was all healed, restored back to it natural beauty. Her clothes had become ashes and crumbled off her body as she moved.

"Yes, we're okay," she answered, and she looked at Sam. "The demons are gone."

* * *

Julia sat in Bobby's kitchen, gingerly drinking a beer and eating some stale soup crackers. She was afraid what would happen if she consumed too much of anything right now – even though she was incredibly hungry. Sam sat next to her at the table, chair scooted close, and Bobby and Dean were standing, leaning against the kitchen counter, eyeing Julia suspiciously. She pushed the sleeve of Sam's shirt up her arms. They were too long, even though she had rolled them up about fifteen times. Bobby had found some small jeans that were cinched around her waist with a bungee cord.

"I feel great," she said for the millionth time. She really did. She felt like her old self – maybe even better. Refreshed and strong, like waking from a long night of sleep. Julia was sure that there was no black demon inside her. And she no longer felt the power of the white demon that she once was.

Dean and Bobby locked eyes and walked outside.

"They don't believe me," she pleaded to Sam. "Everything is gone, Rain. I can feel it, I'm all better!"

Sam reached over to hold her hand. "Just sit tight, okay, and let me talk to them. It's gonna be okay now." He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss. He stood up and followed Dean and Bobby outside.

"I don't know, Bobby," said Dean. "Something about this just doesn't feel right."

Bobby nodded. "Don't you find it a little peculiar that just as we find the knife and bring it here, both the demons are 'gone'?"

"Maybe because it didn't want to get killed," said Sam, coming outside to join them. "Maybe the demon knew we could kill it, and it just took off."

"But why would Julia loose the white demon part of her, too?" questioned Bobby.

"Maybe the two are linked together somehow," offered Sam, shrugging. "We just don't know."

"Or maybe it's some demon trick, Sammy," said Dean. "Demons are pretty damn good at getting what they want, when they want it. And that demon wants us to believe it's gone – just in time to get us over a barrel, and then kick us in the ass."

"What about that white light? And now she can eat and drink? That's gotta be good for something." Sam replied, holding up his hands.

"Maybe that white light was the demon taking off," agreed Bobby. "It sure burned her clothes right off her body. And I guess – I hope – the black one just headed back to hell. Son, what did you see when you got to Julia in the safe room when all that was going on?"

"I just headed in the direction of the cot, because when I left her, that's where she was sleeping. She was on the floor behind the cot, just lying there, and her body was all hot from this light – it was coming out of her mouth, her eyes, her ears…."

Sam hunched his shoulders to hide his shudder from Dean and Bobby. It wasn't really the whole truth. Her body was in violent spasms and she was screaming. When Sam reached her, Julia grabbed onto him with claw-like hands of pain. Her body was actually rising up off the floor, and Sam held her down on the concrete floor of the room with all his might, fighting her convulsing body. But he wanted to keep that part to himself.

"Then it just stopped. Right away, she told me the demons were gone. She knew it right away."

The three men fell silent, simultaneously taking drinks of their beers.

Dean cleared his throat, suddenly feeling guilty about not relating all of Marianne's conversation with Sam and Bobby. But he had an idea.

"If that knife would kill the person the black demon possesses...," Dean began, speaking slowly. The other two looked at him.

"No. No _way_," said Sam quietly, his eyes burning.

"It's the only one way to be sure," said Dean, leaning against the porch railing. "Sam, you don't have to be here for it."

"I have to be the one to do it," yelled Sam, coming face to face with his brother.

"What the hell are you two yammerin' about?!" said Bobby, coming between the two brothers again.

"He wants to use the knife on her, Bobby. He just wants to hurt her, get some messed-up hard-on hurting her!" Sam slammed his beer down and stormed off the porch to disappear among the wrecked autos in the salvage yard.

"Jesus, Dean, really?" asked Bobby.

"Yeah, Bobby. Believe me, I am not thrilled about it, but I think we can do it in a way that won't hurt her too much – but just enough to hurt any demon if it's still in there. Listen, Marianne talked about a journal – but I don't want Sammy knowing anything about it. Its a written record of all the white demon hunters. We need to find it, if we want to save Julia." Dean rubbed his face, still caked with mud and blood. "I need a frickin' shower and some sleep, but first I gotta go talk to my brother." Dean walked off the deck and grabbed two fresh beers from the cooler. He headed in the same direction as Sam. "Just keep an eye on her, okay?"

Bobby waved him off and went inside.

* * *

Dean walked slowly through Bobby's salvage yard. He wasn't sure where he would find Sam, and he didn't feel he had to rush to get there. The sun was shining brightly and he stopped to lift his head to the sun, absorbing the warmth. He remembered all the times he and Sam had been out in this yard – fighting demons, burying some body, performing a ritual. Even the times they would hide in the lot when they were kids, hanging out with Bobby while Dad went hunting. There was the time he spent months after their dad's death, meticulously piecing the Impala back together after their run-in with a tractor trailer.

Dean heard his brother's footsteps approach him.

"One of those for me?" asked Sam as he came up behind Dean. Dean, without moving his face from the sun, stretched an arm out behind him to hand the bottle to his brother.

"Thanks," Sam said.

The boys were silent. Finally Dean turned to his brother.

"I'm not the bad guy, here, Sammy. You know I only -,"

"Yeah, I know. I know you only want to protect me. I know." Sam shook his head and laughed ruefully, opened the beer, and leaned against an aging pickup truck. "It's always the same story with you, Dean. I guess it's good that some things never change. I know you always got my back. It's just sometimes hard to accept the way you show it."

Dean lifted his hands from his sides and let them flop down again. "Sammy, Julia's a great girl. She's got spirit, she's strong, and she's beautiful. I think you finally found someone that can handle you. But before I let either one of you out of my sight, we have to know." He paused, then took a long pull on his beer.

Sam had been staring at his shoes while Dean spoke, and finally raised his eyes to look at his brother. "You really think she would have done it? That she would have used her powers for good?" Sam's brow was furrowed, his eyes seeking reassurance from his big brother.

"Sammy, let me put it this way. I don't know who I'd rather avoid in a dark alley – Lucifer himself, or Julia in a bad mood. That girl –," he smiled at his brother, and Sam's face broke out in a smile, too. He finally took a drink of beer.

Dean leaned against the truck next to Sam and raised his beer. "Here's to happily ever after, dude." Dean said. Sam clicked bottle with him. Then they heard Julia scream.

Sam and Dean burst into the kitchen. Julia was sitting on the kitchen chair, doubled over, grabbing her stomach. Bobby was up against the refrigerator, eyes bulging, with his hands around his own neck, gasping for air.

Sam ran to Bobby to pull his hands away from his neck, and Dean pushed Julia out of her chair and onto the floor. He raised a fist, ready to punch. She looked at him with clear blue eyes in terror, hands raised in defense.

"Wait, _wait, and wait!"_ Bobby cried, instantly normal. "I was just telling her a story, that one where Dean got choked by the demon – oh, dammit boys!"

"I was laughing – the story –," Julia babbled. "I didn't _do_ anything!"

Bobby stormed past Sam and pulled Dean off of Julia. "Go take a shower, Mr. Cranky." He pushed Dean out of the kitchen, glowering. "In fact, I am sending all you kids upstairs to bed. Good night!"

Sam ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, Bobby. Guess we just all need a little rest." Sam grabbed Julia's hand and led her upstairs to a spare bedroom. Bobby grabbed a thick text and sat at his desk. Dean stood alone in the kitchen.

He held his hands above his head, dismayed. "So which demon story was it?!"

* * *

Sam lay in the bed beside Julia, dozing. He was on his side, arm under his head, just like the first time she had seen him in that motel room….a million years ago, it seemed. She lay on her back, arms behind her head, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. There was something that was going on - something they were not telling her. The three men had chatted on the front porch, and something was said that upset Rain.

Julia felt a twist of panic in her stomach, and let out a big breath, trying to ease it. She had to convince all of them that this demon was really gone. She had to gain all their trust - especially Dean's – and even reassure Sam that down to her last drop of blood was demon-free.

Julia closed her eyes, but opened them when she heard a sound in the room. She sat up to see the little girl from her dreams standing at the end of the bed. Just like in the dream, she had long blonde hair and was wore a long white night dress. She looked at Julia and smiled, her head turned sweetly to one side.

"Don't be afraid," she said quietly in a little girl voice.

"You – you are _me_? Am I dreaming?" Julia felt cold with terror.

"Yes, you are dreaming," she said. "It's the only way I could tell you."

"Tell me what?" Julia tried to keep her voice calm, but could feel it shake with fear.

"You have to get the demon back, Julia."

"Wait – what? What are you talking about?"

"It's our destiny, Julia."

"Oh, no, no, no….it's gone. Everything is gone. If I become the white demon again, the black demon will find me – and kill me. It's gone, and I am going to have my life back now!"

The girl nodded at the sleeping Sam. "You want to save him, don't you?"

"Does that mean I have to die?"

The little girl frowned. "That would be sad," she said tenderly. "I hope not."

Julia woke abruptly and sat straight up, looking towards the end of the bed. She was gone. Looking down beside her, Sam rustled in his sleep.

"Son of a bitch," she said, whispering Dean's favorite phrase. She was confused about what the girl had been trying to tell her. Julia furrowed her brow, attempting to make sense of the perplexing conversation. Julia leaned over towards Sam and shook him awake.

"Hmm…" Sam mumbled.

"Rain, wake up," she urged. "I had a dream."

Sam opened his eyes, yawned and stretched. His long frame extended over the edge of the bed as he rolled over onto his back. His t-shirt, as always, rode up his chest and exposed his lean stomach. Julia straddled him, sitting on his chest with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.

"Hey, what's up?" he smiled sleepily.

"I said, I had a dream I need to tell you about."

Sam's eyes looked into hers. _Oh God, _she thought_, I love this man. He can see right into me. _His hair was swept back from his face and she traced the etched lines around his mouth.

"These should not be here. You are too young for so much worry," she told him. Sam didn't answer.

"Let's get away from all this, Julia. Let's just pack up a car and go," he said suddenly. She could see the seriousness in his eyes.

"You mean leave hunting? Leave your brother?"

Sam's fists rubbed his eyes like a little boy. "Leave hunting? Maybe, yeah. Leave Dean? No. He will always be my brother and he will always be in my life – in our lives."

"We would have to name our first born son after him, right?" she asked, smiling.

Sam tilted his head and looked at her, reaching his hand up to pull her golden hair over her shoulder and stroke it. "Something like that."

They were quiet for a moment, and then he started to rub her legs. A mischievous grin appeared on both of their faces. "Did you say you had a dream? Well, I had a dream, too," he said huskily, "and I bet mine was better than yours."

He easily tossed her off his chest onto the bed and covered Julia with his body. She opened her arms, welcoming his kisses, pulling him close.

"Was this your dream?" he asked into her neck.

"Yeah," she lied. "This was my dream."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

The next morning they sat out on Bobby's front porch, watching the sun as it steamed the morning dew off the junked cars.

The coffee was as dark as death, but Julia was able to choke some down with a dry piece of toast. She was still eating cautiously, afraid of consuming too much too soon. Dean had found her backpack in the Impala's trunk and she finally had clothes that fit. Sam and Julia had talked last night about taking off together for awhile, to see where the road would lead them. She hadn't told him about her dream with the little girl, and although the thought of keeping that information from Sam gave her a lump in her stomach, she still could not form the words.

Julia could feel some kind of tension between the two brothers. Once again, she knew she was responsible. She cleared her throat and all three of the men looked at her.

"So is somebody going to tell me what the elephant in the room is?"

"No," stated Sam, too loudly, glaring at Dean.

Dean slammed his coffee cup down on the railing, where it splashed and struggled for balance. "You know what, dude? If you just want to take off, that's fine. But before you go, we are going to make damn certain that we are not letting a demon loose on the rest of the world."

"There's no demon, Dean!" Sam challenged him. The brothers stayed where they were, on opposite sides of the porch, barely looking at each other. Julia glanced at Bobby, who raised his eyebrows and shrugged at her. He was more used to them arguing than she was.

"How do you know, Sammy? How can you be so sure?" Dean answered.

"Wait, please!" Julia interjected. "What is going on?"

Sam turned towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Dean wants to use the demon knife on you, Julia, to make sure the demon is gone and – "

"Okay," she said.

The three men looked at her incredulously. "What?" said Sam.

"I said, 'okay'. I want to make sure the demon is gone, too. What better way to know?"

Sam's brow furrowed, and his eyes searched hers. "Julia, we are not talking some little scratch here. I'm gonna have to get it pretty deep inside you. It's going to be awful. "

Julia knew it would be awful for Sam. She knew that he felt he had to do it, but she knew it would hurt him emotionally more that it would her. But she knew using the knife was the perfect answer, and if one of these men did not do it, she would be determined to find a way to do it herself. Sam could see that in her eyes.

"I'm ready. I want to do this, Rain. It's the only way."

"See, that's what I said!" agreed Dean. Sam dropped his head. Quickly Julia turned to Dean and mouthed the words, '_you do it' _to him. Dean raised his eyebrows and went to open his mouth. He shut it, turned away, and nodded. He rescued his coffee from its perilous perch and took a sip, suddenly intent on studying the front yard.

Sam looked up at her. "Right through the shoulder." His finger tapped the fleshy part between the bones in her shoulder. "There are no major arteries to hit, no bone, just muscle. Julia, it's gonna hurt like hell."

"I'll be okay, Rain. I promise." She reached for his hands to reassure him, even though hers were shaking. His strong fingers wrapped around her slender ones and steadied them. "I need to do this, but I'm no fool. I didn't want more pain. So let's go right now to the safe room and just do it. No more thinking about it, let's just get it done." She squeezed his hands. "Okay?"

Bobby took a step forward. "Julia, it's a shame your Daddy didn't live long enough to raise you as a hunter. I swear, I think this world would be monster-free by now with you out there."

She managed a wan smile at Bobby in thanks. Dean half-smiled and shook his head. "Jeez, you are something else, Julia. Okay. Let's do this – then you can get the heck out of Dodge."

Julia pulled Sam into the kitchen and let him walk down to the basement first. He entered the safe room and Dean and her slammed the door shut behind him and locked it.

"Julia! What the hell - !" he cried, pounding on the door.

"Rain, as much as you want to, you can't be the one to do this. Don't worry, Dean is going to take good care of me!"

"Dean! No, let me out, Julia!"

Julia walked away from the door. Dean shouted through the door over Sam's yelling. "Sammy, she's gonna be okay. I promise you!"

Dean turned to her and to his surprise, she quickly embraced him. "Just make it fast, okay?" she asked.

Dean squeezed her back. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you for not letting Sammy do this."

Bobby rubbed his face. "Well, if this ain't a messed up situation, I don't know what is."

Julia reached over to him. "Bobby, stay here with Sam. You can tell him when it's over. "

Julia followed Dean upstairs, where she lay down in the middle of Bobby's living room. The cool wood floor made her shiver. Julia tugged at the loose neck of her t-shirt and pulled it off her right shoulder, then she folded her hands across stomach and stared at the ceiling. Julia clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering with fear.

Dean walked over to her with the white demon knife.

"Hey," said Dean. "Look at me." He towered above her, the knife, mute with its power, by his side. His eyes were calm and clear. Dean held out his other hand. In it was a bottle of some hard liquor. She shook her head, no, and closed her eyes. She heard the slosh of the bottle as he took a drink. Sam's muffled yells could still be heard downstairs.

Julia didn't even have time for another breath with which to brace herself. Without warning, the searing, terrible pain of that broad, dull knife forcing its way through her skin and into her body was instant. She opened her mouth but could not even scream – she made a hoarse, raspy sound. Julia opened her eyes and through the red and white stars she saw Dean lean down close to her face. He talked to Julia quietly.

"Good girl, Julia. You are doing great. I just have to pull it out now. Hold on." She felt his hand on her shoulder around the knife, and he grunted and yanked it out. The horrid pain repeated, and she was able to scream and sob, trying to clutch her shoulder but afraid to. Dean grabbed her flailing hand and held it to his chest.

"It's over, it's over," he said, leaning close. Dean yelled to Bobby to open the door downstairs. Through the floor beneath her, Julia could feel Rain's feet pounding up the stairs. In a moment, he was beside her.

"So stupid, you are so stupid….," she heard him say tenderly, holding her head in his hands. Bobby pressed towels against her shoulder. Julia sobbed and gasped, feeling the world turn and tilt. The pain was excruciating. She fought against the black, fearful that the demon was still in her and taking control. But it was just the pain.

She looked up at Sam, but his eyes were red-rimmed and ready to spill over in tears. _Just more pain,_ she thought, _I just always give him more pain._ She clenched her eyes closed and gritted her teeth.

"I would say there is no demon in there, boys," Bobby stated, still pressing the towel into her shoulder. He lessened the pressure for an instant to grab the liquor bottle and take a drink.

"God _damn_," he muttered in his Bobby way.

Julia opened her eyes – someone else was there. She was hoping it was Cas – maybe he could heal her and take away the pain. But her eyes widened when Julia saw the little girl standing behind Bobby. Nobody else saw her. Her arms were crossed and her little face was scrunched in a frown.

She stomped her foot. "I told you to get it _back_!" she pouted. Her long blonde hair swung around in front of her face and she pushed it away.

Bobby looked over his shoulder to where Julia was looking. Little Julia was standing right there but he looked right through her. "Do you see something, Julia?" he asked, concern in his voice.

Dean stood up and looked around. He grabbed an iron poker from Bobby's fireplace. Julia stared at the little girl, but before Dean could take a swing at where he thought something was, she was gone. Julia closed her eyes and shook her head. She could feel warm blood seep across her chest and down her arm from the shoulder wound.

"This thing won't stop bleeding, boys," said Bobby, "Julia, I am gonna lean on this really hard, hon. It's gonna hurt, but we got to stop the bleeding."

Her eyes were still closed as she gave Bobby a nod. Sam leaned over her, pulling her head up into his chest. Julia yelped into his shirt, overcome with pain, and everything turned black.

* * *

It was four months later.

A light rain tapped gently on the tent. Julia snuggled down deep into her sleeping bag, relishing its cozy warmth. She could smell the embers of last night's fire steaming in the rain. It wouldn't be a morning with a hot breakfast, but she had been eating like a horse lately, anyway. Campfire food – hot dogs, s'mores, eggs and bacon – had what they had been living on for a few months and although it was delicious, she could feel a little roll around her beltline beginning to develop.

She was making up for lost eating.

"What are you thinking about?" Sam asked from across the tent.

Julia sighed. "How do you always know when I am awake? Is my thinking really that loud?" she teased him.

He sat up, yawned and stretched. His hands pushed into the top of the tent and he shook it noisily.

"Don't wake the neighbors," she grumbled, pretending to be grouchy. In fact, there was not another soul for miles. Julia rolled over and heard him crawl out of his sleeping back and come up behind her. He kissed her cheek.

"Okay, grumpy. Do you want me to start up the fire again and make breakfast?"

"I'm fat, that's what I am thinking about," she answered from the depths of her bag. "No more bacon! Just get me a breakfast bar and I will eat it in here." Julia smiled to herself. Sam knew she was not the dramatic type, but it was fun to play.

Sam laughed, unzipping the tent and stepping outside. "Rain is clearing up," he encouraged. "It's going to be a nice day!"

"I like Rain."

Whistling, he poked at the fire. "I know."

He walked to the truck to retrieve a breakfast bar. Julia peeked out of her bag and through the unzipped tent. Sam's tanned legs poked out of khaki cargo shorts, ragged at the bottom, and he wore a white t-shirt with a flannel shirt over that to ward off the chill in the morning air. His hair was getting long, and as he rummaged in a container for her breakfast, one of his hands attempted to smooth it down. He looked up and caught her looking at him. He smiled.

Five months ago Dean stabbed Julia with the white demon knife. It took about two months for her shoulder to heal, and then she and Sam packed up an SUV with camping supplies and left. They said goodbyes to Dean and Bobby and ventured off to see where the road would lead them. So far, so good. They had been staying at small campgrounds outside of national parks would go hiking, or would find a quiet place in the woods and stay there for weeks. Most days they would sit and doze in the sun after a hike, then Sam would collect firewood and Julia would make dinner. Then they would sit together in the dark, watching the campfire embers snap into the night sky, and talk for hours.

It was good right now, but Julia knew it would not last forever. Sam was just starting to get a little bit restless. He would speak to his brother often on the phone, and Dean would tell him about the cases he was working on. Sam didn't like to talk about demons and the other supernatural with Dean in front of Julia. She wasn't sure if he thought it would scare her, or bring back bad memories, or maybe he just wanted some privacy to talk to his brother. Julia was fine with it – there was no jealousy there. Dean had always been a constant in Sam's life, and she swore she would be the last one to ever take it away.

But often, after the phone call, Sam would look into the distance, thinking, or even pull out his laptop if there was a signal and do some research. He was looking a bit more worried after every conversation with his brother.

And then there was the little girl. She visited Julia frequently in her dreams. She would be wordlessly pulling Julia through the woods, her determined fingers wrapped around her wrist. They would come out into that clearing, and she would turn to Julia, pointing urgently towards that familiar pile of boulders. "_There, there!"_ she would insist.

Julia still hadn't told Sam about any of the dreams.

Julia peeled herself out of her bag and slipped into some shorts and a sweatshirt. The sun was already dissipating the rain clouds, and blue sky was appearing. Sam tossed a breakfast bar to her and sat down across the fire. He placed two logs on the embers and they smoked, and then caught.

"I talked to Dean again last night," Sam began.

"Rain, it's getting bad, isn't it," she stated.

He nodded yes. "Julia, it's the only time Dean has asked for my help…in a long time. I think I need to go back. I'm sorry." He looked at her worriedly.

She tossed her wrapper into the fire, where it steamed and curled. The wrapper turned in on itself and seemed to wink at her for a moment before disappearing into smoke. She had known this was coming, so it wasn't a surprise.

"Don't say you're sorry, Sam. This is what you do – and this is what you _need_ to do. Maybe someday we will walk away from it all, but that someday is not today." Julia shrugged. "Who knows, maybe I will join you on a hunt," she offered.

"No way," he smiled. "Ain't no fury like a woman scorned…I wouldn't want to be anywhere near you if you got your hands on a demon!"

She walked over to him and gave him an embrace. "You just have to promise to be careful, okay? I don't want to find you just to lose you again."

Sam nodded. He wanted to tell Julia that same thing, every day.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Sam and Julia returned home to a grateful Bobby and Dean. There were days, at first, when she thought she was crazy to let Sam go hunting. Sometimes she would not hear from him for days, maybe just a quick text, and she felt like a stranger in Bobby's home. However, things started to arrange themselves into an easy rhythm. Julia started reading Bobby's extensive library, feeding an increasing curiosity on the demon possession she had experienced. There was nothing on the white demon, but she began to become knowledgeable to all the supernatural that was out there. When the Winchesters or other hunters called, she began to help Bobby with research.

Her eyes were opening up to this new world – and she wanted to help. Julia began to write a diary about her experiences in a notebook, hoping that it would find its way into a library like Bobby's someday.

Bobby and Julia would find each other at night, crawling out of their respective corners, to share a drink and he would tell her stories. Julia knew that he was like a father to Sam and Dean, but he became more like a big brother to her.

There was even the night he was telling her about his wife. Years ago, she had become possessed by a demon and Bobby had to take her life. It's what began his life as a hunter. As he told Julia the story, he poured her a shot of something harsh to toast his wife's memory. They both ended up laughing through the tears when Julia could hardly swallow the acrid liquid.

There were times when Julia's head would feel full from reading the ancient texts. She would take a break, choosing to take a walk in Bobby's salvage yard. She felt a strange comfort from the old wrecks. Each one had once had a story and a spirit, now they were neglected and forgotten. They once had a life, they had a use, and now they were damaged, left behind. _These cars are a lot like me_, she thought as her fingers would trace their rusted chrome.

Julia often thought about the story that Sam had told her about the Impala. When Dean had been rebuilding it after their accident, he had taken care to replace a small plastic toy soldier that Sam had placed in the car when he was a child. It was a glimpse of this toy that allowed Sam to regain control of his body from Satan and plunge into Hell.

Julia often thought about her little girl visitor. She still came during her dreams, but less frequently. She hoped that she was just some remnant of her demonic possession and would eventually fade away.

One cool day Julia was walking out in Bobby's yard and heard the familiar roar of the Impala come up the drive. She broke into a jog, eager to see Sam, but surprised they were back from this hunting trip so early. Sam usually sent her a text to let her know he was on his way home.

Sam was already out of the car, looking for her, and Julia ran up to him. He caught her in his giant embrace, and she could smell his rain smell and sweat and beer. He held her for a moment, then pulled back and looked her in the face. His warm hand swept her hair back from her face.

"I missed you," he said. His face looked serious.

"I missed you! I didn't know you would be home so soon!" she replied, grinning.

"We found something. It's something we want Bobby to look at." Sam tried to return her smile, but his eyes looked incredibly sad.

"Rain, what's going on?" she asked, her smile fading.

"_This_," Dean pulled a large, aged book from the back seat. "_This_ is going on."

Inside, Bobby placed the volume on his desk. Julia stood next to him, but Sam and Dean held back. Bobby ran his hand over the simple leather cover, translated the Latin title, and chuckled.

"'_Simple Spells_?' And you said this book was important?" he asked, looking up at the brothers.

Dean ran a hand over his face. "We were just an hour or two behind a nest of demons. They were holing up in an abandoned warehouse, and boogied without taking all their stuff. We found this there." Dean told us. "Go ahead, open it."

Julia looked up at Sam, but he was staring at the book, strangely silent. Bobby opened the cover cautiously. Inside, someone had meticulously cut a hole through the center of every page, making a void to hide something in.

"So it's a book with an uninteresting title, designed to hold something inside," Julia said aloud. "It's like something you would hide your jewelry in."

"Except… it's hiding this." Bobby reached into the cutout area and pulled out a small book nestled in the hole. He held the worn book, turning it over and feeling its surface, smoothed with the oil of countless hands.

Bobby put it back in the larger book and closed the cover. He looked up at the brothers. "You two would not have made the trip back here if it wasn't important. It's the journal, isn't it."

The brothers looked at each other, not sure who was going to speak.

"_Niveus Everto Libri_," Sam finally said. "It's the journal of the hunters of the white demon."

Julia looked at the three men, confused. She fought to control the look on her face, but Sam could see the panic in her eyes. Bobby broke the silence – he knew her well enough by now to know she was shocked that such a thing existed.

"Let's get a drink. Then you better tell us what it says."

Bobby and Dean left the room, but Sam and Julia held back.

"Julia, I –,"Sam began.

"Rain, what is this? Something you knew about – and you didn't tell me?" she beseeched.

"I just found out about it myself, Julia. Apparently Marianne told Dean about it, that it existed, but it was stolen by demons years ago. We're damned lucky we found it."

She looked at him, incredulous. "You come busting in here with something that has to do with me – that I went through – and treat it like its 'show and tell'. You didn't even call, maybe to let me know, give me a little warning that you were about to turn my world upside down again!" She held her hands up to her side and let them drop down again.

Sam shoved his hands in his pockets, still across the room. "You're right," he began. "I thought of calling. I didn't know how to tell you we found this. I'm sorry, I should have called you. This is turning my world upside down, too. I have been thinking more and more of just walking away from all this –," he gestured around the room "- with you. I think of it every day. Just to end up in some Mayberry, USA, and have a life together, Julia. And I thought I was getting so close, and then we found this." His eyes pleaded with her.

"What does it say, Sam." Her voice was like iron.

Sam finally came across the room and embraced her, pulling her head into his chest. She felt his breath against the top of her head. "Let's just go. Right now," he whispered hoarsely. "A few hours ago, we didn't have that journal. Let's pretend we still don't have it, and just go."

Julia began to sob into his chest. "I'll go where you go, Rain. But we can't pretend. We know the book exists – and I can't walk away from that." She felt Sam nod above her. He took a deep breath and looked down at her. "Okay," he said. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She wiped away her tears and followed Sam into Bobby's kitchen, surprised to see Castiel had joined them. He nodded hello.

"I'm glad you found the journal," he said. "It's been missing for a very long time. I didn't even think it existed any more – but here it is." His eyes rested on her. "I think you had better hear what it says."

Sam and Julia sat at the kitchen table, and he held her hands and looked at her. He blew out his cheeks and began.

"It says you are the white demon, Julia. It never went away. You still have your powers, they were just weakened by your possession. It's not over."

He let the words sink in. She stared straight at him, too numb to be emotional.

He continued, "The black demon was in control for a while, but somehow you kicked it out. But it's not going to stop until it's over – until it's defeated, or until you are dead. You are still the white demon, Julia, do you understand?"

Julia did not take her eyes from Sam's but did not answer him. She felt Cas touch her shoulder from behind her. It made her shudder and break her gaze. Julia turned in her chair and looked over her shoulder at the angel.

"I told you, Demon, that you would fight on the side of God," he said tonelessly.

Julia leapt from her chair, knocking it to the floor. "I am _not a demon_!" she yelled at Cas. "Don't ever call me that! _I am not a demon_!" She ran outside to Bobby's yard to hide among the cars.

"Julia!" Sam shouted. "_Julia_!"

Julia ran deep into the salvage yard, her head spinning, her eyes blinded by tears. She stopped at the edge of the yard, collapsing into one of her favorite cars, an aged Lincoln Town Car, built back when gas was cheap and cars could be large. Its doors were gone, so she easily slid into the dank interior. The sun bleached leather seats crackled beneath her hands.

Her breathing was hard and sharp, and it hurt. There felt like there was a tight band around her head. Her mouth was dry, and she couldn't cry. Julia couldn't think – except the words, "_You are still the white demon, Julia, do you understand?"_

"Do I understand? Do I understand!?" She muttered, shaking her head. "No, I don't understand, I don't understand…."

She heard Sam walk by the car and held her breath, sinking down low in the seat. He didn't see her. Julia felt too confused to even speak to him. She didn't know if she needed him right now, she was so confused. She heard the footsteps stop for a moment, then turn and head back towards the house. Julia didn't know how long she sat in the car, only that she sat there in some kind of daze. She wasn't really thinking or feeling anything. Finally shaking her head and taking some deep breaths, she realized things weren't going to get any better sitting here. The light was beginning to fade.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small beam from a flashlight bob towards her. Bobby walked up to the car and leaned over to look at her.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Hey, Bobby. No."

He nodded. "Right."

"How did you know I was here?"

Bobby laughed. "I know you come out here sometimes. This car is one of my favorites, too." He tapped the roof.

She slid across the seat in an invitation for him to join her. He shut off his flashlight and sat beside her in the dark.

"Its gonna be okay, kiddo," he began. "I know it's frickin' cliché, but you got to hang in there, and it's gonna be okay. You have been fine for months now – hell, you were out in the woods somewhere with Sam for a long time – and nothing bad happened. Nothing bad is going to happen now."

"Bobby, the white demon knife – why didn't that kill me?"

"Sam told me that knife only kills the person when the black demon is in control – and by that time, it had left. That knife won't hurt the white demon -," Bobby paused suddenly.

The little girl was standing at the end of the hood of the car, looking in at them.

"Please tell me you see her this time," Julia whispered. Bobby nodded. The girl's body was exuding a soft white glow in the dark. Her blonde hair was floating around her head like a veil.

"Now you know!" she said, excitedly. "Now you can get it back!" She clapped her hands together in glee.

"Get…the black demon back? Inside me?"

Little Julia nodded enthusiastically.

"Why?" asked Bobby.

The little girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in annoyance. "Just get it back, get it back!"

The sudden sound of a shotgun made Bobby and Julia jump and the little girl was gone. Sam was standing outside of the Town Car, a smoking shotgun in his hands.

"Eat that, bitch. She's not getting it back," he said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Sam was running through a thick forest, chasing Julia. He saw glimpses of her blonde hair just ahead, and could hear her body crashing crazily through the trees. He was breathing hard and could barely call her name.

"Wait!" he gasped. A fir tree branch snapped him in the face, smarting his eyes. Sam was angry and tired. His feet and arms were wet and cold from the damp forest but he was also hot and thirsty.

"Julia, wait!" He could see ahead she had paused in a small clearing. He burst ahead to catch up before she began running again. Sam ran up to her and put his hand on her arm. Julia turned to look at him. Her eyes were demon black, and her face was twisted into a horrid caricature of her beauty. Lips snarling, cheek bones protruding grossly, nose upturned. There was no more Julia, only the demon. Sam pulled his hand back in disbelief. He was not able to talk, only stare at her. Julia turned towards the clearing again and raised a bony finger, pointing. _There_, Sam heard in his head. _There_.

Sam woke with a start, gasping. He sat up and quickly looked at the sleeping figure beside him. It was Julia, and she looked…normal. Sam put his hand on his chest, attempting to slow his thumping heart. The last time he had that dream, it was the little girl that he was chasing.…now, some twisted version of Julia. He couldn't get that vision of her damaged face out of his mind.

Julia mumbled in her sleep and flung an arm over onto Sam. Even in her sleep, Sam could tell she was thinking about the journal. Her lips were turned in a frown and small lines of worry creased the skin between her eyebrows.

Sam stroked her cheek with his thumb, hoping to ease whatever dreams she may be having. He slipped quietly out of bed and got dressed.

Someone had already made a pot of coffee in the kitchen. Sam poured himself a cup and went outside, following the sound of metal on metal. Dean had the hood of the Impala open in Bobby's workshop and was leaning over the engine. He peeked out from around the hood and saw Sam walking towards him.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Dean resumed his work and Sam sipped his coffee in comfortable silence. A dog barked in the distance, otherwise, there was quiet in the morning air.

"Is she okay?" asked Sam, referring to the Impala.

"Yeah, I just thought I heard a little knocking last time out." Dean wiped his hands on a greasy rag. "Is she okay?" asked Dean, referring to Julia.

"Sleeping, finally. I think she was up for over two days, working on that journal." After Sam had shot rock salt at the little girl, Julia begun to meticulously pour over the text. She had sat at Bobby's desk, hour after hour. Sam and Bobby had taken turns helping her, one person manning a large magnifying glass to decipher the fading text, while Julia wrote notes. The book was handwritten over several hundred years, often in a cryptic manner. Some excerpts were even in Latin. When both mens' eyes bulged from straining at the tiny text, Julia took over both jobs. She only took short breaks to grab a snack or to walk among the cars in the salvage yard, staying quiet and contemplative. Finally Sam found her asleep at the desk, one hand still clutching the magnifying glass, the other holding the book open. Sam had picked her up and carried her to bed like a child.

Sam kicked a spider away that was trying to climb up his shoe. "I think I am going to stay here a few more days, Dean. I really think there might be something in that journal that can help us destroy the black demon. I think that's why those demons had it, you know? To keep that information away from us."

Dean pulled himself out from under the hood and gave Sam a steady gaze. "I think that's a good idea. I'm going to leave later today to follow up on a case Bobby heard about."

Sam disliked the fact that Dean would go hunting without him, but he knew there was nothing Dean could do here, and they both knew that.

"Sounds good," Sam agreed, and sipped his coffee. The brothers turned towards the sound of crunching footsteps on the gravel. Bobby joined them.

"Find the knocking?" he asked Dean, nodding towards the Impala.

"All set," Dean replied. He grasped the hood and slammed it down.

"She's already working on the journal again, Sam." Bobby told him. "I got a cup of joe and some toast into her before she sat down, but you should go check on her."

Sam nodded and went inside. Bobby and Dean watched him walk away, and then they glanced at each other.

"Is it just me, or do you think this is not going to end very well?" Dean asked his dear friend.

Bobby grimaced and shook his head. "I don't know, Dean. It's been hell trying to get anything useful out of that book. The book is pretty damn old – some of the earliest pages are just crumbling away. Damn shame."

Dean and Bobby began to walk side by side back to the house. Through one of the windows they saw Sam and Julia sitting side by side at Bobby's desk, their heads bent together in concentration over the book. Sam's dark hair mingled with her blonde. Dean knew his brother was desperate not only to find any information to defeat the black demon, but to keep Julia safe. "If anyone can figure it out, Bobby, it's gonna be those two," Dean said.

* * *

When Julia woke up, she didn't know where she was. The last thing she remembered was sitting at Bobby's desk.

_Rain must have brought me to bed_.

The covers beside her were pushed aside, so he must have slept there last night. She pushed away the own covers, but it took a few minutes before she could stand up. Even after a night of sleep, she felt totally exhausted. Sitting for a moment, Julia had the feeling….like she was forgetting something. Like there was something in her brain, something pulling at her. She finally slipped out of bed for a quick shower to hopefully wash away the feeling.

Bobby was downstairs, reading over some of the notes Julia had written last night. She rubbed her wet hair and asked him, "What do you think?"

Bobby leaned back in his desk chair and put his hands behind his head. His worn cap slouched forward over his eyes. "I don't know kiddo. Doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. Maybe things will become clearer the more you get into it." He stared at the book in front of him, and she nodded in agreement.

Bobby stood up and wordlessly Julia took his place at his desk. His disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, then returned with a plate of toast and a cup of coffee.

"Thank you, Bobby," she said gratefully. "…for everything." Her belly rumbled.

"Just make sure you eat it. I don't want to come back in here and find you passed out from starvation," he gripped her shoulder and she looked up at him. "I said it's gonna be okay. I still think so," he said tenderly.

"Thank you," she whispered. He turned and walked outside. Julia gulped down some coffee quickly to keep herself from sobbing. She was totally drained. She dreaded the thought of working on the book again. Her hands lingered over the smooth cover, worn soft by many hands. She rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up, determined to focus on the cumbersome task. But the knowledge of the hunters that had written in the book was invaluable, and Julia was determined to learn of anything that would defeat her enemy.

Sam came in and sat down on the chair beside her, scooting it close. His hand enveloped hers where it held the magnifying glass. Both of their eyes were on the book, their heads close enough to touch. Julia sighed to herself, _oh, my Rain_.

"Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," Julia replied stiffly. She was still upset with Sam for bringing the journal to her without any warning.

"Julia, I said I was sorry. Okay?"

She sighed deeply in response. She was too tired to be upset. "Okay. Thanks for bringing me to bed last night," she replied. "Guess I fell asleep."

"You know, you still look tired. You should go upstairs get some more sleep."

They heard one of Bobby's phone lines ring and he answered it. Dean came in the house and ran upstairs to pack.

"Maybe…you're right. I don't really feel…I don't even think I can get my eyes to focus," Julia said. He squeezed her hand, and moved his chair backwards so she could stand up. For once, with him sitting in his chair, and her standing beside him, he looked up at her.

"…..and don't dream," he said, tapping her forehead. His eyes searched Julia's. She knew he had been hurt by the fact that she had not told him about all the dreams with the little girl. After Bobby and Sam had seen her in the yard, the truth had come out.

"If I do have any, I will tell you about them," she promised. Julia put her hands on his ears and swept some of his long hair behind his ears. "I should give you a haircut," she murmured.

"Go to bed," he gently pushed her. She nodded and left the room. As much as she hated to, she lay down in the bed and pulled the covers over her head. She felt really strange, but blamed it on the stress and the lack of sleep. The bed was dark and warm and she was so tired…

After Julia went back to bed, Sam and Bobby made good progress. They had hit upon a section of the book written in French, and Sam was able to translate most of it quickly. He re-read the page he had just typed on his laptop, and then slid it over to Bobby. Bobby quickly scanned it, and then looked at Sam. Without a word, they both bolted upstairs to Julia's room. Sam grabbed the covers and whipped them off the bed. It was empty. She was gone.

* * *

Julia was cold. She woke up and looked up at blue sky when she should have been seeing the ceiling in her room. She was lying on dewy green grass that had soaked the back of her t-shirt and jeans. She shivered and rubbed her arms, sitting up and looking around. She was in the middle of a small field that was surrounded with dense forest. Large boulders were piled in the center of the clearing.

"Is this a dream?" she asked out loud. "Rain?" But the grass was too cold and felt too real under her bare feet.

"Am I here? Is this it?" She shivered not so much from the cold, as from fear. This seemed to be where the little girl had always brought her in the dreams….to the field with the big boulders, where Dean had found the white demon knife. _But how did I get here?_

"I'm not going to stay here," she said. A sleepy bird chirped in response. Otherwise, it was quiet. Very, very quiet.

* * *

Dean was about to pull out of Bobby's driveway when he heard Bobby shouting at him to stop.

"You have to go to Moyie Springs," Bobby told Dean.

"What? Why?"

"Well, Julia was still pretty tired this morning. We sent her back up to bed, and got to reading the journal some more - ,"

"Bobby! What did it say?!"

"The black demon that left Julia didn't go back to hell like we thought it would. According to the book, it goes back to the place where the last white demon was killed, and waits, and rests. When it gets back enough strength, it's able to - ," Bobby paused and gulped.

"What?"

"Julia's gone, Dean. The demon took eight months to do it, but it got its strength back, reached through two states, and brought her back to that God-forsaken town!"

"Shit," Dean muttered.

"It's almost noon now, you two will probably get there about 2 or 3 in the morning. I am going to stay here and see what else I can get from that book."

"I knew this wouldn't end good, Bobby," confessed Dean. Sam hurried down the porch stairs, and threw his duffel in the Impala's trunk.

"Son, it's not over yet," pleaded Bobby. "Let's see what we can do." Sam nodded to him, then got in the Impala. Bobby watched the car pull away, and then went back inside to his desk. He took off his cap with his left hand and scratched his head with his right. Replacing his hat, he pulled a bottle of liquor and a glass close, and started to work.

* * *

Sam sat next to his brother, his body tense. He closed his eyes and pushed a thought to Julia, _I'm coming, I'm coming, _hoping that she would hear it. He thought about the white demon knife, which lay packed in his duffel bag, wrapped in one of his shirts. Sam opened his eyes and looked at the road, focusing on the long drive ahead.

* * *

Julia stood in the green grass in her bare feet, arms crossed, shivering. It was around noon time, she thought, and her stomach growled in hunger. She was scared, really scared, and she hadn't moved in ten minutes. Her feet were planted in the grass. She raised her eyes and looked around the clearing. It was just as Dean had described it to her - large boulders in the middle of a clearing surrounded by dense forest. Clear blue sky up above with puffy fair-weather clouds. She could see some of the boulders had been blackened by Marianne's dynamite blast. Julia stepped towards the stones, pulled by curiosity.

_This is the final resting place of a white demon, _she thought, _like me._

The grass ended at a large, shallow crater created by the explosion. Disturbed dirt marked the area where Dean had dug up the grave, salted and burned the remains that lay there, and then refilled it. She shivered again and rubbed her arms. Would her body be down there next, to be found in two hundred years? With a knife embedded in her chest?

Julia heard a sound behind her in the forest and spun around. She only caught a low tree branch swinging where the sound came from. She backed up against a boulder the size of a small car and attempted to stay calm.

_Keep myself together, okay….got to keep myself together._

"Okay, a noise," she said aloud. Her voice sounded strange – too loud. "So it's an animal, which is probably more scared of me, or its little Julia, right? Is that you?" Julia heard a sound again, to her left. "Is that you, little girl?"

Julia put a hand behind her, resting it on a car-sized boulder. She felt strange scratch marks, too symmetrical to be natural, underneath her fingertips. Glancing behind her, she read the name that had been etched into the hard stone.

_Ella._

Julia sucked in her breath, tears springing to her eyes.

Another sound made her spin around again towards the forest. A black form came around a tree, and Julia's heart stopped and she gasped. It was like a walking shadow –it almost had a human shape, but with its edges blurred like a smeared pencil mark. It stood and seemed to look at her. Julia held her hands out in front of her as if to tell it to stay away and it stepped back behind the tree quickly.

She slid down against the stone and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly and crying. She knew it was the black demon, and that it had brought her here. Almost unconsciously, she slipped into prayer.

"_Our father who art in heaven...Rain, please find me, please find me…hallowed be thy name...thy kingdom come, thy will be done..."_

Julia looked around and realized she couldn't stay here in the forest. She didn't know when Sam would find her, or even if he knew she was here. It could dark quickly, and she didn't want to be here at night. Dean had told them there was a trail from the clearing to the town and she needed to find it. Though Dean described the town as half deserted, there was sure to be a phone and a safe place to stay. Julia scanned the edge of the clearing, looking for a break in the dense forest that would lead her to the trail.

"_...on earth, as it is in heaven..."_

She stood up slowly, keeping her hands on the large stone behind her. Julia suddenly realized the demon quickly moved away when she held her hands out to it. _Was it afraid of me?_ She looked down at her hands, and then held them up to her face, looking intently at the palms. Julia thought back to the shooting session with Dean at the ocean house.

_I _am _the white demon_. She held her shaking hand out and aimed at a small rock on the ground, and thought a thought.

Nothing.

She breathed slowly, dared to close her eyes for a moment, and thought a thought. Julia heard Rain's voice in her head…control, control. She heard a _ping_ and opened her eyes in time to see the little rock bounce along the ground, and smiled. _I'm back, baby…look out._

Julia made a run for a break in the trees and shot down the trail, hopeful it would lead her to the town.

"Hello? Anyone? Hello?" Julia walked down the main street of the town, poking her head into stores, seeking any sign of life. The shop doors were open, as if ready for business, but there was no one around. She shook her head and had to laugh as a tumbleweed comically rolled down the dusty street. Julia was scared and out of practice with her powers, but she felt a little more confident knowing she had them to protect her.

There was no electricity in any of the stores, and none of the phones worked. Julia found an old pair of sneakers under the counter of the yarn shop, and a stale box of Pop Tarts in the nail salon. The kitchen in the town bar reeked of rotting meat, as did the convenience store. There must have been no refrigeration for weeks, allowing any fresh food to spoil. She had spotted a large couch in the yarn shop, so she returned there. The large glass window front would allow her to see anyone – or anything – coming, and it had a back door that would allow her to escape. The sun was getting lower in the sky, slowly ending this day. Julia pulled a knit blanket from its window display to cover her legs and tensely sat on the couch, staring out the window. She slowly munched on the Pop Tarts, telling herself to eat. She gripped a dozen or so fierce metal knitting needles in her hands, and waited for Sam – and night – to come.

She finished the Lord's Prayer, whispering them aloud: "_Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil. Amen."_

There was a sound. It was hours later, and she was fighting sleep, but must have just dozed off a little. Her eyes snapped open and her heart pounded in her ears. In her sleep, the knitting needles had dropped to the ground, and now they were achingly out of reach. There was a sound again, behind her. She scooted down lower into the couch, cursing wildly in her head. She hadn't checked to see if there was a back door. It was obvious that there was. It was dark in the store, with only the light of the half moon coming in through the large front window. There was the sound again, like a rustling of leaves, and it was getting closer.

Julia calmed her breathing and clenched and unclenched her hands. _Control, control_….she thought a thought and quickly stood up and turned around, hand held palm out. She stood up too soon. She was out of practice, and did not wait for the surge of power to rise up within her before aiming at the black demon. It took advantage of the split second pause to lift Julia off her feet and throw her through the yarn shop's front window. She landed hard on her back amid shard of glass, stunned. Her fear shrank her power, and before she could gather her thoughts, the bright moon above her was suddenly blocked as the black shadowy figure leaned over her.

Julia screamed.

Its thoughts came into her head, squeezing her head and wrapping around her brain, sending electric jolts down through her body. She writhed in pain, trying to resist the demon. Julia put her hands up onto her head, scratching and clawing, trying to push the thoughts away. She was overcome with trying to resist the demon and could not focus to use her own power against it.

Julia kicked her feet and dug her heels into the dirt, trying to back away from the demon.

Headlights suddenly turned the corner and bounced towards the two demons. The black demon looked up and snarled somehow before turning back to her. It laid a cloudy mitten of a hand on her shoulder and Julia felt the searing pain of a burn. Julia screamed, feeling the hiss of its power on her flesh before the demon evaporated into the night air. She heard the squeal of tires stopping just behind where she lay, and she prayed its occupant was someone that could help her.

"Julia!" Sam ran over to her and held her in his arms. She attempted to push him away in her confusion. Her shoulder burned and her head was still foggy with pain.

"Julia, it's me! Its Sam, its Rain, Julia!" Sam held her tight to stop her struggle.

"No, the demon - no, take me home!" she sobbed. She was totally spent, and could only wish for all this misery to just be over. Sam pulled her close to his chest and she grabbed onto his shirt, smelling his rain smell, feeling his breath on her face, his hand in her hair. "It's okay now, just calm down," he said softly. Dean stood beside them, watching.

Suddenly another figure appeared and leaned down close, blocking the moonlight. Julia screamed again.

"Cas! Your timing sucks! You're scaring her!" Sam admonished him. Julia buried her head in Sam's shoulder, exhausted.

"This is where we make our stand, demon," Castiel said to her unapologetically. He stood up and looked around. "It's gone for now. We'll be ready for it next time."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Dean paced the small living room. The four of them – Sam, Dean, Julia, and Castiel – had found a small apartment over the yarn shop. Julia lay on the couch in the living room, watching Dean with wide eyes. Every third breath was a sob. Her face, besides being red and puffy from crying, had scratch marks from her own hands and there was dried blood in her hair.

Dean stopped pacing and looked up at Sam, who came into the living room from one of the bedrooms. He had been speaking to Bobby. Sam shook his head, indicating the Bobby had not found anything new or useful in the journal. Sam rubbed the back of his neck where it ached.

Dean continued pacing.

"So we still don't know how to stop it?" Julia asked shakily.

"We don't," offered Castiel. "We let it come here, we let her take it back in, and she will destroy it. There is no way we can escape the black demon now."

There was silence in the room. Even Dean had stopped in the middle of the living room. "….and you know this...how?" Dean asked.

Castiel walked over to Julia and pulled her up to a sitting position. He pulled on the collar of her t-shirt, attempting to pull it down. Sam rushed over to Castiel and pulled him off Julia, who retreated to a corner of the couch, clutching her t-shirt. "Hey!" Sam yelled at Cas. "What are you doing?!"

Cas shook off Sam's arm and pointed to Julia. "The demon put its hand on you, didn't it? Let us see the mark it left." The three men stared at Julia, and she slowly looked at each in turn. "It – it just burned me, Cas. It's just a burn."

Sam sat on the couch beside Julia and slowly pulled her hand down from where she had been holding her t-shirt's collar.

"Julia, let's see," he said slowly. He looked into her eyes. "We are not the enemy here, right? We have to work together if we are going to beat this, okay?" Julia slowly nodded and dropped her hands. Sam pulled down the collar of her t-shirt, and there, on her shoulder, was a mark burned into her skin.

It was a perfect circle with an off-center triangle inside it.

Sam's eyes widened and his breath came out like a slow hiss between his teeth. The mark itself was black from dried blood and the area around it was red. Sam tenderly stroked the area outside the mark where the skin was not damaged. "Does it hurt?" Sam asked her. His voice was barely a whisper. He immediately regretted his words. Her red-rimmed eyes beseeched him, _of course it hurts._

Dean stepped forward to take a look and grimaced. "Shit. What does it mean, Cas?"

"It means it's going to find her, no matter what. No spell can ever hide this demon from that demon again," Cas replied. With a roar, Sam turned from Julia and grabbed Cas by his overcoat's collar and pinned him against a wall. Through a clenched jaw and with a voice filled with anger, Sam told him, "Her name is _Julia_. Stop….calling….her…._demon_."

"Sammy, Sammy!" Dean pulled his younger brother off of the angel. "We are all on the same team, remember? Just cool it."

Cas adjusted his overcoat and glared at Sam. "I'm just telling you that it's over, Sam." Cas pointed to Julia accusingly. "This is the point where the black demon and she must come together again in the same body. She can defeat it, or she will be killed." Then he was gone.

Julia began to sob quietly again on the couch. Dean stood in the middle of the living room next to Sam, rubbing his face with both hands. "Son of a bitch!" he muttered. Dean plopped down on the couch next to Julia and uncharacteristically pulled her close.

"Julia," he began, "I'm not going to lie to you, sister. This is a hell of a mess." With one hand he roughed up her hair with affection. Sam saw her wince from his strong hand.

Dean was trying to raise the mood in the room, and Sam loved his brother for it. He knew that Dean would go to the ends of heaven and hell to save him, and now he knew Dean would do the same for Julia. "But hey, we are like the three musketeers, right? All for one, right?" Dean attempted to grin. Sam shoved his hands deep into his pockets and nodded in agreement.

Dean continued. "Here's what I think," he gave Julia a half-hug, but getting serious. "Let's pack up and get back to Bobby's. That's gonna give us a little space and a little time away from the demon. We'll be prepared next time. We'll have our heads together."

"…but what if it just grabs me, Dean? What if it just brings me here again?" Julia asked. Sam saw how she was looking to Dean for answers, and he was glad. Sam felt like his head was a mess – to see Julia attacked like that and to see her now, so beaten down, was confusing for him. She was always so strong, so confident, that he felt weakened to see her in this state. Powerless.

"We'll find a way to keep you around, sister. There has got to be something in that book that we haven't found yet….shit, there is probably Cas isn't telling us either. Something he probably would have told us if your pet Sasquatch hadn't attacked him." Dean indicated toward Sam, who glowered at him. "But we – "

Julia suddenly shook herself out of Dean's arm and stood up. She turned her wide eyes to Dean and Sam. "It's coming." Sam and Dean were on instant alert. Julia turned towards the door. She could hear the rustling sound again, like in the yarn shop.

"It's out there….outside the door…."

Dean stood up and aimed his shotgun at the door with a fluid, practiced motion. Sam grabbed Julia by the arms and looked at her intently. "Julia, you told us this thing was scared of you. That you still have your powers. You need to use them, now, to keep it away."

Julia shook her head. "I – I can't. That thing is too powerful, it gets in my head, I can't think!"

"Well think of _something_!" Dean yelled over his shoulder. The door began to rattle violently. A small table beside the door shook until its glass vases fell to the floor and shattered. The pictures on the wall tilted crazily. Dean planted his feet in a wide stance to stay upright as the building began to sway.

Sam turned to Julia again. "It's time to get mad at this thing." Sam gripped her arms until it hurt. Julia looked at him with frightened eyes. "Do you want that life together? The one we always talk about?" Sam shook her, becoming angry.

"R-rain – you're hurting me-, " Julia gasped.

The door burst open and the black shadow figure appeared. Dean fired off two rounds, reloaded, and fired two more. The rock salt shots did nothing to the demon. The figure came down the hallway and Dean backed up, reloading again. The apartment continued to shake. A drawer in the kitchen opened and a waterfall of utensils cascaded from it. Cabinets opened and cups and plates shattered. Furniture in the living room began to slide back and forth.

"_Do something!"_ Dean hollered over the ruckus. Before he could complete his reload, the demon flung him across the room into a wall. Dean crumpled in a heap, stunned.

"_Julia!"_ Sam screamed at her. "Get mad at it, don't let it take anything away from you!" Sam let her go and spun her around as the demon came closer. She could see its form smear and change direction from Dean to her. She shuffled her feet, attempting to stay upright.

Its black thoughts entered her mind.

"_No_!" Julia shut her eyes and placed both hands on her head. She pushed the black thoughts away, and focused on the swell of power rising within her. She felt the hands on her head grew hot, and she flung them out in front of her, palms up, towards her foe. She opened her eyes and could barely see its liquid form in front of her – her eyes shown white, washing out everything in the room except its form like a black silhouette.

She thrust her power towards the black demon, speaking words that come from the depths of her soul: "_Ego sum lux lucis quod everto!"_ The light from her palms grew brighter and her entire arms were bathed in its glowing light. The black form crouched and turned away from her, its arms covered its head. "_Now go!"_ Julia screamed. "_Go!"_

At once the demon disappeared and Julia dropped her hands, drained of power. The building was still. She fell down to the floor on one knee, panting.

She turned around to look for Sam. He was on his back, one hand over his eyes, stunned. "Rain, hey, are you okay? I'm sorry, Rain, wake up!" Sam mumbled and moaned. Julia pulled on his jacket to help him sit up. He blinked his eyes and half-smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"No, you were right. I needed to get mad. This is not a time to be a shrinking violet…"

Dean moaned behind them. "What happened? You turned it into a flower?" He shook and rubbed his head, confused.

Sam pulled Julia close and kissed her, long, on the lips. "I love you," he said.

Dean stood up and brushed off his jeans. "Ugh, get a room."

Sam stood up and rummaged through the kitchen until he found a piece of paper and a pencil. He sat in the middle of the living room, the only space void of broken glass and wayward furniture. Dean pushed the couch back against the wall and lay down on it, still rubbing his head. Julia stood, looking out the apartment windows, at the deserted town below. She longed to have the white demon book in her hands, to continue the discovery of its secrets. But she had to trust that Bobby was doing the job.

The three of them were attempting to piece together what Julia had blurted out at the demon.

"Definitely Latin," said Sam, tapping the pen on the paper and gazing at the wall in front of him. "It began with 'ego', which is Latin for 'I'". He wrote 'ego' on the paper.

"Whatever it was, it worked," commented Dean from the couch.

Julia rocked back on her heels for a moment, thinking. She had taken two years of Latin at Catholic high school, but was not fluent enough to be yelling at a demon in the language.

"Something with 'sum'….and light, I think," she said, her mind twirling.

Sam wrote 'light – lux lucis or lumen?' on the paper.

"'Sum' is 'to be' or 'am', right?" asked Sam, leaning forward and looking at his paper.

Dean peeked over at Sam's notes. "So it could be, 'I am the light'? Pretty cool. It's true, sister, you do know how to light up a room." He grinned at his own joke.

"Ha, ha. Thanks. But it was longer than that….'ego sum lux lucis….' Yeah, I am pretty sure it was something after that…." she pondered, and then, "…quod everto."

Sam scribbled furiously on his paper. "'I am the light and the demon.' Okay."

"How did I know to say that?"

"You were tapping into a true white demon part of you, Julia." Sam said. "There may be more of that to come. You have to understand, the being that you now are…has existed for thousands of years. There's some part of you that is every white demon that ever existed."

Dean glanced at his brother. "That's pretty heavy, Sammy."

Sam reached and pulled his duffel bag over to where they sat on the floor. He pulled one of his shirts out spread it out, unwrapping the white demon knife. Julia shuddered when she thought about that thing going into her shoulder.

"Julia, I think you should keep this close to you. It's what scared the black demon away at Bobby's." He handed her the awkward dagger, and she held it for the first time.

Her hands closed around the cold metal. "How old do you think this is?" she asked the brothers, not taking her eyes from it.

Julia heard one of them begin to answer, but their words just became sounds, echoing distantly. Touching the knife sent her into her white demon soul, going to an ancient place deep down inside. The characters on the blades began to move and dance under her fingers as she ran her hands down the length of the knife, and her head was filled with images from white demons that had passed. She saw battles between the two foes, time and time again. _How do I destroy the black demon?_ She couldn't see the answer.

Julia felt Sam grab her shoulder and shake it. "Julia?" She finally looked up from the knife and into his worried eyes. Her eyes shown with the white demon light, and she smiled softly at him.

"I know what to do," she told him. "Let's go back to the rocks."

Dean walked over and raised his eyebrows when he saw her eyes. "No way. We need to get back to Bobby, back to the journal and figure out what else it can tell us."

Julia shook her head. "There is nothing in that book that can help me now. This knife – I think its trying to give me some answers. You both have to trust me. I'm going to destroy the black demon. I'm going to kill it, and it will never come back."

Sam and Dean exchanged a long look. Julia's grip tightened on the knife, and she turned to Sam, pleading. "It's what the little girl wants. She just keeps telling us to come here, Rain. I know you have had the dreams, too. She leads you through the forest, and comes to the clearing, and points to the rocks, right? I've had that dream a million times. Now I know what it means. That clearing holds some sort of power for me, that's where the battle has to take place. That's the only place where I can destroy it, Rain. _Please_."

Sam shook his head. "Julia, in my dreams I am chasing _you_. There is no little girl. When we get to the clearing, and I see your face –," Sam rubbed the sides of his forehead with two fingers. "It's not you, Julia. It's the black demon and it's taken over you. You may think your dream is a premonition, but mine is a warning."

"Just how long have you two been having these dreams? And don't you think it was important to tell me?!" Dean asked, exasperated.

The two nodded their heads. "I just seems to be making sense now, Dean," Sam told his brother. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it meant anything."

Dean turned with his hands in the air, frustrated. "Yeah, your dreams never mean _anything_," he said. "Did your dreams, by chance, happen to tell you exactly how to kill the black demon?"

Julia shook her head. "I just know I can do it. If we go back to Bobby's, I am just going to get brought back here when the black demon regains its strength. It's weak now. Let's do this now." She was getting tired of arguing. Julia could feel her body pulling away from this place, urgent in its need to get to the rocks. Sam suddenly pulled her wordlessly into an embrace. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling him hold her close. When she opened them again, the white demon glow had abated.

"Rain, this is going to happen." Her words were a harsh whisper. "We can't run from it. We can't have that life together until this is done. Please, I know I can do this. _Please_."

Sam looked sadly at his brother, who slowly nodded.

"Okay," Sam agreed, and she sighed with relief. With her head on his chest, she could feel him as he coughed away a sob.

"This is not going to be good-bye," rallied Dean. "We are going to be there, Julia. We got your back." She turned to him and smiled.

"Let's go," said Sam.

Out at the Impala, the brothers loaded up with weapons. All three knew it was more of a gesture, a way that they could feel useful. The guns and knives and holy water would be useless against the black demon, but nobody said the words. As Julia waited, she shifted the white demon knife from one hand to the other. There was no proper way to carry it – the hilt was too round for her hand to comfortably grab it, and she couldn't hold it across her arms because the blade dug into her skin. Dean pulled out a scabbard and helped her put it on. The strap rested comfortably across her waist, and the knife fit easily in the leather pocket on her hip.

It was afternoon, the sun was still high in the sky. A cool breeze swayed the trees in the woods along the trail, gently rustling the branches around them. When they were almost to the clearing, Dean stopped and held up his hand. He turned slowly and pointed to his ear.

The little girl's voice could be heard. She was singing. "London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down….London Bridge is falling down, my….fair….lady….."

Every hair on Julia's arms stood upright. It was little Julia, just ahead of us in the woods. The singing stopped, and the only sound that could be heard was the soft movement of the trees around them.

"Creepy," Dean commented. They slowly began to walk again, and soon reached the edge of the clearing. The assemblage of stones cast long shadows across the grass. Sam turned to Julia and grasped her unwounded shoulder, looking intently into her eyes. She attempted to smile up at him, but her face suddenly felt frozen in fear.

"I'm scared, Rain," she whispered to him. "I'm here, I wanted us to come here, but now I'm really scared."

"Would it help to have an angel on your side?" Sam and Julia looked over to Dean, who pointed over his shoulder at Castiel. He smiled wanly and waved awkwardly. He stepped forward and whispered into her ear.

"Go into the clearing, Julia. You have to draw the black demon into you, but remain in control. You can defeat it, Julia, for good. For God." He placed his hand on her head and the angel and the demon dropped their heads for a moment. Julia felt the warmth of the angel's hand and took a deep, shaking breath. The forest was quiet for a moment, then they heard the singing again.

"London Bridge…"

Cas removed his hand and she smiled and nodded to him. Julia turned to Dean and hugged him tightly.

"I'll call him Dean Junior, okay? DJ for short?" she told him. Dean looked at her, puzzled. "Our first born, Dean. I'll name him after you." A shadow of a smile touched his lips. Julia held onto his shoulders for a moment more. A look crossed between the two. It was an unspoken reminder of his promise to her, to kill her should the black demon come to control her. He hesitated, then nodded with a jerk.

Julia dropped her hands from Dean and walked over to Sam. She pulled his head down to hers until their foreheads touched.

"This is not good-bye," he told her. His voice was strong, convincing her to return.

"This is not good-bye," she repeated, forcing her voice to be as strong as his. He put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her lips to his, kissing her. She used that passion to begin the wave inside her, building it up like a crescendo. Her hands tingled. He dropped his hand and stepped back, smiling.

Julia turned and walked into the clearing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

Julia walked towards the stones, recognizing the one she had cowered against just a short time ago. Her hands touched its cool, rough surface for a moment, tracing Ella's name. Turning, she spoke out loud.

"_Ego sum lux lucis quod everto!"_ A raven cawed loudly in response, leaping out of a tree and flying over the clearing. Her eyes followed it until it disappeared over the swaying treetops.

"You wanted me here!" Julia shouted, raising her arms from her sides. "Show yourself!" Her hands tingled and began to glow. The power inside her peaked. Every sense was magnified. Julia could see every needle on every pine tree, hear every rustle and groan in the forest. Her heart pounded loudly, rushing blood through her body.

She heard a sound behind her and spun around. Little Julia came out from around a large stone, her white nightdress swaying. The two stood for a moment, studying each other.

"Did you bring me here so I can defeat the black demon?" Julia finally asked.

"Silly!" Her child's laughter raised the hair on Julia's arms. "You can't defeat the black demon," she said as she shook her head. "It just goes on and on and on…."

"What?"

"You are both stuck, somehow. You two will fight….and it will take over your body. Then someone is going to have to kill you with that knife while it's in you. That hurts the black demon just enough that it can't come back for two hundred years. But it will rise again, and find another white demon to possess….it just keeps going."

"_Why?"_

"It wants to be very powerful. But if it can't have your power, it's going to make sure you die. That's childish, don't you think?" She looked at Julia sweetly. "Can I go now?"

"But my dreams – you always told me to come here - ," Julia stammered. The little tilted her head, smiling. Julia stared at this little version of herself, and her body broke out into a cold sweat. It was a trap. Sam's dreams had been the warning she should have listened to.

_It's over, _Julia thought. _I'll just let the black demon in, and Dean can kill me. At least it will be gone for another two hundred years._

Little Julia nodded, her face suddenly serious. Her eyes turned black, and her form began to change, growing large and black, unfolding itself from the child's form into the black demon. Julia took a step back, her fingers fumbling over the knife in her attempt to draw it from the scabbard. She finally pulled it out, but it slipped from her grasp and clattered to the ground.

_Control, control..._

The two demons circled warily. The slight breeze was becoming stronger, and with it, the smell of rain. Gray clouds began to fill the sky. Julia inhaled deeply, forcing her brain to stay clear, focused, and ready for attack. She mentally attempted to control the wild beating of her heart. Her chest actually hurt from its pounding.

It was taking an extreme amount of mental power to control the force within her. It wanted to come out, to be used, and Julia's ears hummed and her head began to hurt from the effort. She tasted salty blood on her lips as her nose began to bleed.

A sudden terrific flash of lightening blinding Julia for a split moment and the black demon lunged at her. She felt it wrap its hands around her neck. She panicked and screamed, exhaling precious air, and its grip tightened, lifting her feet off the ground. She clawed at her neck, attempting to pull its fingers away, but only succeeded in scratching her own skin, unable to grab onto its shadowy form.

Sam, Dean and Cas burst from the forest and ran towards her. Sam leaped at her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to the ground, breaking the grip around her neck. Dean, right behind him, scooped up the knife. The demon shuddered and took a step back.

"Julia," Cas came close to her face. "This is the time. You have to do it _now._"

"Cas – I don't understand - ," Julia cried. The breeze had turned into a strong wind, and pelting rain began to fall. Dean swung the knife at the demon. In response, it waved its hand in the air pulling multiple stones from the ground and launching them at Dean. The stones converged on him, and he covered his head with his arms.

"Son of a bitch!" A stone smacked Dean on the side of the head, stunning him, and cutting open his skin.

"Here!" Julia yelled. "It's me you want, isn't it!" She placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and pushed herself to her feet. She waved her arms, pulling its attention away from Dean. Julia gulped in air, attempting to control her growing fear. The power inside her was in turmoil, almost out of control with her lack of focus.

The a sudden deluge of rain soaked her to the skin. "You think you can hurt me? I know you've killed every other white demon. I _know_ that now!" Julia took a step forward. "But this is where it ends, black demon, today, _no more!" _The rain poured down, the thunder rumbled above their heads.

The demon backed away, suddenly alarmed at her aggressive words. The two brothers and the angel were behind her now. Lightening crashed and lit up the darkening forest that surrounded them.

Julia could feel Sam was stunned at her words…._killed every other white demon_…she instantly sensed his need to protect her, him wanting to grab her and run.

"Rain….leave me alone," she shouted to him over the storm, putting up a hand towards the demon. Her eyes began to glow, and her hands tingled. _Control, control_….Julia felt something inside her push into every pore of her skin, filling her with a power. The hair around her head began to float, and her fingers tips were white hot. The demon spread his legs in a battle stance and raised its arms. Her anger rose inside her. Her only thought was to try to destroy what she hated.

Wait.

That was the trap.

Julia stood in place, realizing this is what happened every time the two demons battled. The white demon would become weakened, the black demon force its way in…with the same ending every time. Castiel had told her…to _let_ it in…._the black demon and she must come together again in the same body_…while she was still strong.

_Control…control…I have to control my anger to destroy it. I have to resist, but remain powerful..._

Julia dropped her arms and stepped back. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head and let her power sink down inside her. The rain rhythmically tapped on her head as she slowly sank to her knees. She felt soft mud under her legs soak through her jeans.

This battle would be different. She would not resist the demon. She would let it in, just as Castiel had told her, and destroy it from the inside.

"What are you doing?!" Sam cried. "Julia! Fight it!"

Cas held him back. "No, Sam. This is right."

"_Julia!"_

The rain streamed down her face. The demon leap at her, and then inside. She groaned as its ice cold form filled her, the dark fingers of its thoughts entered her brain. Julia fell helplessly to the ground.

* * *

She was standing in a dark tunnel. Julia put a hand out to steady herself, and felt the slimy bricks under her fingers. She recoiled quickly, almost banging her head on the low arched ceiling. The tunnel was not more than four feet wide and five feet tall. The dank, wet smell filled her nose and thick water filled her sneakers.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed. "Cas? Rain? Hello?" She shook her head, confused. One minute she was battling the black demon, the next she is in some old sewage tunnel. Did Castiel beam her here? Seeing no choice, she shuffled her feet forward slowly, allowing her fingers trace the tunnel walls. Julia's mind was blank, and she was wondering if she was experiencing some kind of shock. It was hard to think about anything. It was hard to panic, to be angry, to be fearful. She allowed herself to remain in this numb state of mind, choosing it instead of any feelings that may allow her to loose control.

Control.

Julia paused for a moment. She realized she had no powers here, much like when she was with Cas in that other life. If that other life was heaven, was this –

"Hell?"

Julia yelped at the sound of the voice.

"No, this is not hell. Come forward, Julia," the voice urged. "I want to see you."

Julia slogged her feet through the thick water, and slowly the tunnel broadened until her arms could not reach both sides, and the ceiling lifted so that she could stand completely upright. A few more steps and she found herself in a large chamber. At the far end of the chamber was a concrete platform extending from the far wall over the water, and several candles glowed.

"Closer, Julia."

She reached the edge of the platform and rested her palms upon its concrete surface. Julia shivered, then hauled herself up on the concrete, finally getting her feet out of the water. The candles flickered and waved, but there was no breeze.

A dark haired, slender young woman stepped out of the shadows. "Hello, Julia," she said, walking over and sitting next to her.

Julia licked her lips, her heart suddenly pounding. The girl's eyes were pure black. "You are the black demon – or some form of him….aren't you."

The girl smiled. "Something like that. He sent me here. He's been waiting to meet you for a long, long time, Julia."

The two young women locked eyes. "Why did you bring me here?" Julia finally asked. She was beginning to feel anger grow inside her.

"Now don't get all mad at me. Bring you here? Oh, no, my dear. I am here visiting _you_. This is all going on –," the girl leaned forward and tapped Julia on her forehead, "right here." Her tone was condescending. She winked at Julia, then swung her legs over the edge of the platform to sit next to her foe.

The girl paused dramatically, and calmly glanced over at Julia.

"You can't do it, you know. The black demon's sole purpose is to control your powers. And if he can't, then he makes sure you are destroyed. I'm so sorry, darling, but you won't live through this to defeat him." The girl patted Julia's shoulder awkwardly. "I know we just met, but it's already time to say good-bye."

Julia clenched her fists and shrugged off the cold hand on her shoulder. The girl smiled sadly in reply.

"Hm…I've changed my mind. Come walk with me, Julia." She stood up and walked to the back of the platform. She extended her hand out to Julia. "Please."

Julia could hear her heart pound in her ears, and attempted to calm down. She stood up and followed, ignoring the extended hand, but clasping together her own shaking hands instead. She realized they trembled not with power or adrenaline, but fear. Julia realized that her actions now may be effecting the battle waging in her mind with the black demon. She had to be careful. Unless -

_Oh, God, _Julia thought, _please don't let me be -_

"Dead? No, no," the girl smiled as she pulled open a large wooden door with a heave and stepped through. "You are not dead."

They entered a long, wood-paneled room with bookshelves, floor to ceiling, on every wall. Lit candles flickered on wooden tables. Julia stood in the doorway, watching as the girl walked the length of the room, disappearing in the shadows at the far end.

"There is a lot of knowledge here, Julia. You should try to take advantage of it. Just like your dear Rain said, there is a little piece of every white demon that has ever lived now in you." She reappeared, walking up the other side of the room. Her fingers danced along the books as she walked. "Why fight it, Julia? You could be more powerful than anything you have ever imagined."

The two women now stood face to face. The girl tilted her head and ran a surprisingly soft hand along Julia's cheek. Julia winced and moved her head away. The girl's eyes narrowed.

"Do you think you are superior?" she asked Julia menacingly. "Do you think you are better than any other white demon? Let me tell you, little sister, that you're not. Just like every other, you will die, too!"

"I won't give in," Julia finally spoke. "I won't let the black demon control me. I will die before I let that happen."

"Then it will happen, Julia. You will die."

With a sudden movement, the girl dramatically flung her arms above her head and smiled, her black eyes gleaming menacingly. A sudden gust of cold wind snuffed out the candles and Julia was left alone in the dark.

* * *

Sam broke Cas's grip and ran to Julia, where her body twisted and convulsed on the mud. He knelt down on the ground beside her and grabbed her wrists as she attempted to claw at her head. Her flesh was hot, almost scorching Sam's hands.

Julia's jaw was clenched tight, and she was only able to emit whimpering, guttural sounds. Sam watched as a bubble of blood formed on her stretched lips from and then was washed away by the rain. Her feet thrust violently into the ground, forming long furrows in the wet dirt.

Sam didn't know how long the seizure lasted, but every moment was torture for him. To see her fighting so desperately against the demon twisted his soul. The rain continued to pour down, and Julia's frenzy splattered mud against Sam's face. Blood, diluted by the rain, trickled from her mouth and nose. The skin on her bare arms and now shoeless feet were ripped open from the rocky ground and mud caked her hair. Sam didn't know how much longer he could stand watching her, grasping her wrists, helpless.

Then, her body slowly relaxed. Sam released her hands and they fell to the ground beside her. Julia's breath still came hard and raspy, her chest heaving. She lay on her back, eyes still closed.

"Julia…" Sam's voice was husky with emotion. "Julia, I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. You got to fight it now, okay? Julia? _Julia!"_

Her eyes flashed open quickly. They were black as night. Dean stepped forward, the white demon knife in his hands.

"Dean, no!" Sam cried, blinking away the rain. He still knelt beside her, and held up two hands in her defense. "Just…wait."

Her eyes blinked rapidly and closed. The storm continued to rage above them. The thunder boomed incredibly loud, and the lightening flashed above their heads. Sam leaned over Julia's now inert form, her head between his hands, shielding her from the rain. He desperately searched her face, for any sign of the Julia he knew and love, hoping, praying, she would survive the battle that raged inside her head.

He realized her lips were moving slowly, without sound, seemingly repeating the same words over and over again. Sam recognized the cadence.

"_Ego sum lux lucis quod everto_," he said aloud for her. Her silent words became a whisper, repeating the words over and over. Then,

"_Ego mos servo Deus_," she said hoarsely. Sam could barely hear her over the pelting rain. Cas moved to stand next to Sam and Julia.

"I will serve God!" Castiel translated, shouting above the thunder.

"_Ego peto ut attero malum_."

"I seek to destroy evil!"

Julia's eyes opened and glowed with the white demon. Instantly, her body flashed with an explosion of white. The three men were pushed back by the wave of light and power. Cas leaned into it, throwing his arm up in front of his face. "You have no more power here!" Cas shouted to the black demon within Julia. "Go! And do not return!"

The wind howled and swirled in the clearing, and the angel could barely keep to his feet. He glanced behind him, where the brothers had landed. Both were attempting to regain their footing against the fierce wind.

Sam dropped to his knees and began crawling towards Julia. The wind was pushing leaves, dirt and rain into his face, and he squinted against the storm. Underneath the roar of the storm he could hear a high-pitched whistle. Sam lost track of Dean and Cas, and struggled forward, feeling along the ground with his hands, searching for her. A sudden gust pushed him to the ground and he tumbled backwards, against a lump of a body behind him. It was Dean. The brothers grabbed each other, hoping to anchor each other against the rising hurricane. Cas crawled towards them, his trench coat whipping over his head, and the three clasped onto each other as the storm continued to rage.

It was impossible to talk. They could only hold on and wait for the storm to end. It was difficult to tell how long the three hunkered there, but finally the wind began to lessen. The rain lightened slowly, and the thunder could be heard more distantly. The three stood up, soaking wet and muddy. They panted with exhaustion.

"Julia!" Sam called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "_Julia!_"

The clearing was now a collection of fallen branches and deep puddles.

"That storm almost blew us all away, Sammy. Let's hope Julia found something to hold onto," Dean said, surveying the surroundings. Blood caked the side of his head and he spit to get the dirt out of his mouth.

"Dean, I don't think she was in any shape to hold onto anything," Sam replied worriedly. He continued to call her name, lifting up large branches to see if she was hidden underneath. The other two quickly joined in the search.

Cas spotted a glimpse of blonde hair under some fallen branches by the edge of the clearing. "Here!" The brothers bounded over quickly, pulling the debris off Julia. When the last branch was removed, all three paused. Julia lay on her side, her body wrapped around a large tree. Her arms were up over her head, hiding her face. She seemed smaller, more fragile than any of them had ever seen her.

Sam fell to his knees, gently moving on of her arms away from her face. He felt his heart pound, frightened that her face would now look like the Julia he had seen in his dreams. But it was Julia. Sam's fingers gently pulled back the blonde hair and wiped away the mud and the blood. He fingers felt her neck for a pulse.

Dean saw Sam drop his head and draw in a sobbing breath.

"Is she – "

"She's alive, Dean. She's alive."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Sam closed his eyes and told himself to be patient.

"Like I said, we were out hiking, and just got caught in some kind of mini-storm. It was raining and windy, and we all got knocked around. Kate took a really bad fall. We all lost our ID's, all our camping stuff. Honestly, that's what happened." Sam attempted to look endearing to the female officer. She tapped her pen on her notepad and frowned.

"Next time get a camping permit. I'll check in with you later," she told him.

"Of course, officer. Okay if I go check on my girlfriend now?"

Sam walked down the hospital hallway until he reached Julia's room. Dean sat in a corner chair in the room, his head on his chest. His breath came low and deep. A white bandage was awkwardly adhered to the skin next to his right eye where he had received six stitches. Sam could see that side of his brother's face was swollen and bruised.

Sam carefully pulled up a chair and sat beside Julia's bed, studying her face. She had been unconscious since they found her wrapped around a tree at the edge of the clearing. That was over three hours ago. Sam ached for her to wake up, to hear her voice, to know that she made it through this ordeal, somehow.

He carefully weaved his fingers into hers, careful of the bandages wrapped around her hands. The skin on her fingers was burned and blackened, something he had found difficult to explain to the doctors and the police. Even her hair in spots, the edges of her ears, and the tip of her nose had been singed by her battle with the black demon. Sam still marveled at the explosive power that she had exuded, and was surprised by the fact that she was in one piece, at all.

The doctor came in and popped an x-ray onto a light board. He glanced over at Sam, and then pointed to the x-ray.

"One, two, three, four. Four broken ribs." He pulled the x-ray down and shut off the light board, and continued. "Hair line fractures in both wrists, possibly a sprained ankle. Multiple scrapes, burns, probably a concussion. Dehydration. We reset three dislocated joints. Son, just what did you run into out there?"

Sam smiled weakly. "It was just a really bad storm."

"Probably a micro-burst. They happen sometimes. Where did you say her parents were?"

"They are in Europe right now on vacation, not sure exactly where. I lost my cell phone, and it had their number in it. I'm going to try to contact them through some friends," Sam replied.

"Okay. I'll check back soon. Let me know if you need anything." The doctor patted Sam on the back and left. Dean, roused from his slumber by the doctors visit, carefully stood up.

"You are looking all better," joked Sam. Dean grimaced at his brother.

"I feel like hell," Dean replied. "And if she's still out, I'm going to find a bed somewhere and get some rest. You should do the same, Sammy."

Dean wasn't sure why he made the suggestion. He knew Sam wouldn't leave her side until he knew she was all right. Dean nodded and told Sam to get him if she woke up, and left to find a bed.

The hospital room was quiet, except for the faint _beep…beep….beep_ of the heart monitor. His clothes for the most part had dried, but the dampness left in them gave him a chill. Julia took up so little of the bed that there was plenty of room for him to lie beside her, under the warmth of the covers. He lay down carefully, and rested his weary head on the white pillow. He tried to keep his eyes open, to watch her sleep, like he had so many times before. The mental and physical exhaustion of the past few days had totally drained Sam, and it was only a few minutes before he was asleep.

He dreamt.

_He drove up into the driveway of a light blue house. He watched a tall, deeply tanned teenage boy practice shots into a hoop that hung over the double garage. Sam stepped out of the car, but leaned back in to grab his suit coat and a briefcase. His was dressed in a crisp buttoned down shirt, silk tie, and dress pants. Smooth leather shoes were on his feet._

_Sam spoke to the boy. "DJ, weren't you supposed to cut the lawn today?" Sam indicated towards the overgrowing grass and the lawnmower by the front steps._

_The boy smiled and scowled at the same time. "Tomorrow, Dad, I promise!" he shot the ball quickly at Sam, who single-handedly palmed it. Sam shot it right back at him and laughed._

"_Okay, okay."_

_Sam went inside the house and tossed his jacket and case under a front table and his keys and sunglasses in a bowl set on top. He gave a quick shout of greeting and gave Julia a kiss._

"_Happy Friday," she said to him._

"_Thank God for the weekend," he replied to her, smiling._

"_Dinner's ready, let me call in DJ." Julia moved towards the door, turning on the front light and calling his name. Sam sat down at the table, and heard the two girls come tumbling down from upstairs._

"_Hi Daddy!" they proclaimed, kissing and hugging Sam. One of the girls kissed his forehead, but it felt curiously hot. In the dream, he rubbed the spot._

Sam woke slowly, his hand rubbing his forehead. It still felt hot, and he opened his eyes. Julia was awake and looking at him, with an unbandaged finger on his forehead. It glowed white hot.

Sam blinked, confused. The dream seemed so incredibly real, it was hard to shake. Julia pulled back her hand and lay back down on the pillow next to him.

"Did – did you just give me that dream?"

She smiled at him, but then grimaced in pain as she moved her hand away. Sam slid out of her bed, now awake. The dream seemed like it was already fading. He brushed the hair away from her face. One cheek was an angry, bruised purple and her lips were swollen and cracked.

"How are you?" he asked her.

"I think I'm okay, Rain. I hurt, but….I'm okay." She smiled again, looking at him. Her voice was barely a choked whisper. Tears leaked out of her eyes. "Do you think we did it? Do you think it's gone?"

A nurse entered the room and began to check Julia's vitals. She looked down at Julia.

"How's the pain?"

"Everywhere," Julia replied softly. The nurse nodded and made some adjustments to her intravenous medications, then left the room.

Sam stroked her forehead. "What do you remember?"

Julia looked at him, fear in her eyes. "I remember it all, Rain, every second. I wish I could say some other part of me took over, but it was me, all the way." Sam could see the anxiety in her face. Her voice began to raise, panic-laced. "When it was in me, I - it was awful - ,"

"Hey, hey, don't talk about it, okay? Let's just get you better. Just don't think about it. Do you want to sleep?" Sam tried to reassure her. Julia shook her head, no, and Sam could see her draw in deep breathes, trying to calm down.

"I don't want to lose you, Rain," she pleaded.

"You're not gonna lose me. I'm right here. We made it through – you did it, Julia. You destroyed the black demon."

Julia's eyes were troubled, and Sam felt that she had more she wanted to say, but the door opened behind him. Bobby walked in, hidden behind an immense bouquet of flowers. Julia's face, though flushed red with emotion, broke out into a giant smile.

"Hey, gorgeous!" Bobby greeted her. His face didn't indicate his surprise at how battered she was. He shoved the flowers in Sam's hands and kissed her gently on the forehead. He looked into her eyes, one hand on her cheek. "See, I told you it was going to be okay," he told her softly. Julia managed a nod in response.

Bobby turned and hugged Sam. "Glad you are okay, too, son," he said.

"Thanks, Bobby. Dean is somewhere – he told me he was going to find a bed, but my feeling is that he found a nurse instead," Sam told him.

"Hey, hey, I'm right here!" Dean came in the room, and gave Bobby a bear hug. "And thanks for the flowers!"

"Yeah, right," replied Bobby. He pointed to Julia, his tone becoming soft and brotherly. "And you, you are gonna get some rest. I'm dragging these boys away to get the whole story. Cas is keeping an eye on you, but from what he told me, there isn't anything to worry about. You did good, kid." Bobby nodded at Julia, and left the room with Dean. Sam turned to her, forehead furrowed.

"Are you going to be okay? I can stay," he said.

"No, I'm tired. I think I should sleep. You go," she told him. Sam leaned forward and kissed her on her unbruised cheek.

"I'll be back soon," he said, and left.

Julia stared at the bouquet, then closed her eyes. And didn't dream.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Bobby crossed his arms and glared at Sam. "Leave her alone, boy," he said.

Sam threw his arms up in frustration. "Bobby, it's been three months! How long is this going to take?"

Bobby slammed his beer down on the kitchen table and stormed over to Sam, looking at him in the eyes. "Sam, I know you have been through a hell of a lot in your life, and that's fine. But you can't expect everyone to recover as quickly as you tend to do. She found out she was a white demon. She almost died – a couple of times. She lost everything and everybody in her life. That's called trauma, Sam. So you leave her alone, for as long as she needs. Do you hear me?!"

Sam took a step back, and glanced at Julia through the kitchen window. She was sitting cross-legged on top of a junked Bronco, her back towards them. She was watching, as she did every night, twilight fall over the salvage yard. The brothers had just come back from a hunt, and once again, Sam had found Julia in the same state of mind. She was distant and quiet, and could barely look him in the eye when they managed a half-hearted conversation. Sam glanced over at Dean, who was sitting at the kitchen table, studying the label on his beer.

"I guess you think the same thing?" Sam accusingly asked his brother. Dean looked up.

"Sammy - ," he began.

"Never mind! You two just keep on protecting her, sheltering her, letting her wallow! We should be celebrating, because the black demon has been destroyed, but this place is just a giant pity party!" Sam left the kitchen in disgust and they heard his heavy feet climb upstairs.

Bobby and Dean were silent. Then Bobby said, "You know, he's the last person on earth I thought would be acting this way."

"Bobby, I think he feels like he is running out of time. Until Julia gets her head together, he can't walk away from hunting with her. He's in limbo, Bobby, and he hates that. But this…," he nodded out the window at Julia, "…this can't be rushed."

Dean stood up and stepped out of the house, breathing in the cooling night air. The sun had set, taking its warmth, but releasing the stars to shine above his head. He slowly walked towards Julia, still sitting on the car.

"Hey," he said softly. He saw Julia wipe her face and glance at him with a forced smile. Her hair swirled around her shoulders softly in the moonlight.

"Hey, welcome back," she said to him. "Come on up."

Dean joined her on the roof of the old Bronco.

"When did you get back?" she asked.

"About ten minutes ago."

"Everyone okay?"

"Yeah."

The two fell silent, listening to the spring peepers melody and watching the sporadic fireflies.

"Dean….."

"You know, you can tell me anything, Julia. But if you _don't_ want to tell me _anything_, that's okay, too."

"Thanks," Julia sounded relieved.

"But…you need to know that Sam is really hurting, Julia. You are shutting him out, and we all see that. Big Brother Bobby would love to have you stay here forever, but I don't know how much more Sam can take. " Dean watched her shiver in the cool night air. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

"I don't think I destroyed it, Dean," she whispered.

Dean felt an icy chill creep into his soul. "What did you just say?"

Julia turned to him for the first time, her wide, blue eyes filled with an unspoken sadness. The moon seem to reflect off her pale skin, making the circles under her eyes seem deeper. She looked ghostly. She pulled Dean's jacket around her shoulders, still shivering. It occurred to Dean that she wasn't so much cold as she was scared.

"I said, I don't think the black demon is dead. I think it's weak, but it's going to come for me again." Her hand unconsciously rubbed her shoulder where she was scarred with its mark. "I feel like I've been unplugged – ever since that fight, I'm really, really weak. And I know _it's_ getting stronger. So I'm sorry for all of you, sitting around, hoping that I get better."

Her voice was rising, shaking with anger. "I'm sorry I ever came into your lives, I'm sorry I'm not stronger, smarter, or braver than I am. I'm sorry that I'm going to be the next white demon in line that gets killed." Julia was shouting now. "And I'm sorry it will be back again in two hundred years to do the same damn thing to some other poor soul! I'm so, so, sorry!"

Dean threw his arms around her, and she burst into angry sobs into his shoulder. He could feel her hot tears soak his shirt.

"You've beat it before, you can beat it again, and this time, for good," Dean said hopefully.

Julia held her hands out in front of Dean as if to indicate their uselessness, then dropped them again.

"You're breaking my heart, sister," he whispered to her tenderly. Julia dropped her head to her chest, despondent.

Sam watched the two figures from the shadows of Bobby's porch. He heard every word across the still night air. He looked up to the stars, blinking back tears and clenching his jaw against his own sobs. He slowly walked into the house and sat in Bobby's living room, in the dark.

A few minutes later, Sam watched Dean come into the kitchen and head upstairs to bed. A few minutes later, Julia came in, still wearing Dean's jacket. She sat down at Bobby's desk and clicked on a small desk lamp. Out of a small bottom drawer, she pulled out the white demon book, a notebook, and a large magnifying glass. She looked so small at the desk, frail and pale and weak. She was a ghost of her former self. Sam could see she had lost weight in her sunken cheeks and frail shoulders.

"Julia," Sam said quietly. She jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Jesus, Sam. What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would just wait for you," he replied. Sam walked over to the desk and stood behind Julia. He reached over her shoulder and flipped open her notebook. Every page was filled with her neat writing.

"What is all this?"

"I, uh, I've been doing some more translating, and some writing, too. Drafting out what I am going to add to the book," her words were slow and hesitant.

"You are going to write in the white demon book?" Sam's tone was controlled. Julia turned and looked at him over her shoulder. She looked annoyed.

"Yes, I am. I think I have a few good things to add," she remarked sharply.

Sam released a big breath, blowing out his cheeks. He could feel the tension between them, and he wasn't sure how to relieve it. Frustrated, he ran his hand through his hair and began to walk away.

"Sam - ,"she began. He turned to her quickly.

"I'm _not_ 'Sam' to you, Julia," he said. "That's not what you call me. What happened to what you used to call me? What happened to _us_? I heard everything you told Dean tonight. How long have you known? Were you ever going to tell me?" Sam's words came fast in his anger, but he kept his voice low.

Julia was quiet for a moment, surprised at his words. She finally spoke, choosing her words carefully.

"I haven't known for long, it's something that I have been slowly figuring out." She pushed her chair back and walked over to him. Carefully, she placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him. She could feel his heart beating under the palms of her hands. "I've shut you out, and I'm sorry. I hope there is enough time for me to make it up to you. I just had to go through this…on my own. I've missed you so much. Please, Rain, forgive me."

Sam wiped away the tears that began to run down her face. "I've missed you, too, so much. There is going to be plenty of time for us. I won't let anything hurt you, Julia. I promise." He smiled at her. "No more tears, okay? Let's just pack up and hit the road again, just you and me." He kissed her softly, wrapping his hands around her tiny waist. She pulled him close, her fingers weaving into his hair.

"I've missed you," he repeated. Julia pressed her body up against his, smelling his rain smell, unbuttoning his shirt. They lay down on the floor behind the desk. Sam helped her pull off her shirt, and noticed she was wearing a new necklace.

"What's this?" he asked, pulling on the odd charm. It looked like a small slice of shiny metal. He suddenly remembered he had never returned Julia's crucifix to her. Although it was bent and twisted, he had kept it. By now, it had probably worked its way down to the bottom of his worn duffel bag.

Julia interrupted his thoughts.

"It's a piece of the white demon knife. Bobby helped me slice a small part off. We read that if I wear this, the black demon can't retrieve me. I hope it works. Next time I want to meet him on my terms." Sam smiled at the gleam in her eye. That was the Julia he knew and loved. But he frowned at himself, immediately feeling guilty. His finger traced the demon's mark on her shoulder. The skin was puckered and scarred, but it had healed well.

"I've been selfish, Julia. I should have been there more for you, instead of taking off and leaving you here with Bobby. I guess I shut you out, too," Sam said.

"That's all done, okay? No more talking about it," she replied. Sam kissed her neck, rubbing his lips into her skin.

"How about just no more talking?" he teased. She didn't say another word.

* * *

Julia woke to the smell of frying bacon. She yawned and stretched, realizing she was in her bed in Bobby's house. She pulled on some clothes and ran downstairs.

Sam was hovering over the stove, humming. She ran up behind him and gave him a hug.

"Are you trying to make me fat again?" she asked him.

"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Rollie-pollie, in fact. Like, you're momma's so fat - ,"

"Sammy!" Dean hustled into the kitchen. "You want to scare Julia away again, or what? He's only like the worst joke teller in the world," he told her.

"Dammit, can't a man get some sleep around here!" Bobby growled as he came into the kitchen. Julia handed him a steaming cup of black coffee with a wide smile. Bobby glanced up at her and mumbled something about noises keeping him up all night. Julia blushed and Sam grinned.

The four of them took their breakfasts outside to Bobby's porch. The talk and laughter came easily between them. Dean looked at Sam, who only had eyes for Julia. _Please let nothing happen to her_, he prayed, looking at Julia's shining face. Dean listened to Sam's deep laughter, responding to something she said, and retorted back to her, raising his eyebrows and smiling. Bobby added a comment, and all three broke out in laughter.

Sam glanced at his brother. "Dean, you okay? You're quiet."

Dean looked at all their faces, realizing this was more family than he had in a long time. "Yeah," he responded slowly, "I'm good."

Bobby cleared his throat. "I don't want to break up the party, but I think there are a few things we gotta talk about."

Julia nodded. "I told them both last night, Bobby. They both know I don't think the black demon is dead." She let out a big breath, happy to be relieved of the burden.

"Bobby, you knew?" Dean asked him.

"I knew that Julia believed it wasn't dead. I'm not sure I believe her. Back in Idaho, she did something no other white demon has ever done – willingly let it inside her. To me, that means it's gone…but to her…" Bobby waved his hand in the air.

"I just don't understand what makes you think it's still out there, Julia," asked Dean. "Are you sure you're just not being….paranoid?"

Julia looked past Dean, her eyes traveling to the cars in the salvage yard. "Dreams," she replied distantly.

"Uh-oh," Dean replied, rubbing his face with both hands. Bobby and Julia exchanged a knowing glance. They couldn't count the number of nights she had woke up screaming, convinced the black demon was near.

"But while you boys were on the road, Julia and I worked a lot more on the journal, tryin' to get a leg up on old blackie," commented Bobby.

"Like the necklace," said Sam.

"Yeah, like the necklace," agreed Bobby. "We also learned that if we took some metal shavings from the demon knife and packed it in shotgun shells, that would hurt."

"What else?" Sam asked. He glanced at Julia. The fact that she would have to confront her enemy again suddenly unnerved him. Last time she had barely survived.

"Orbs," Julia offered. "It has the power to create some kind of circular, powerful weapon. The journal is kind of cryptic about them – mostly because the folks that have witnessed have rarely survived."

All four fell silent, absorbing that information. Bobby cleared his throat and looked at the young faces around him. "So I think its safe to say we stay here and prepare ourselves. When the black demon shows its ugly head again, we'll be ready for it."

Julia reached down and tightened the laces on her sneakers. "I'll leave you three to discuss that. I'm going for a run." She looked at the surprised faces around her. "Can't beat a demon when you're too busy having a pity party. See you in an hour." She jumped off the porch, stretched her hands above her head, and began to jog down the driveway.

"That's more like it," mumbled Bobby. "I think our girl is back."

* * *

It was two weeks later. Dean sat on a lawn chair, sunglasses on, basking in the sun, watching Julia target practice.

"A little to the left," he offered.

She turned and looked at him with shining white eyes and a smile. "Dean, you're not even watching me!"

"Yeah, yeah I am!" he said, sitting up in the chair. "I'm just waiting for the waitress to bring my margarita."

"Will this do?" Sam came up behind his brother and touched an ice cold beer to Dean's bare arm. He yelped and rubbed his skin where the beer had touched him.

_Déjà vu…._Julia thought. She blinked away her white eyes. Dean swiped the beer from Sam's hand in sarcastic anger.

"How's she doing?" Sam asked him.

"_He's_ not watching me. I caught him sleeping behind the sunglasses. But _I'm_ doing fine," Julia told Sam. He took his beer back and tipped it forward, indicating for her to show him.

Julia returned to her stance, staring down at her targets balanced on the hood of her favorite Lincoln Town car. She kept her hands down at her sides. She breathed in, thought a thought, and felt her eyes glow white. A muffler crumpled. Next to that, an old car radio rose in the air. Finally, she pushed a hubcap off the hood of the Town Car and turning it, rolled it to Dean's feet.

"Look ma, no hands," Dean boasted.

"Very nice," Sam nodded approvingly. Julia ran and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, kissing him. He laughed and swept the hair back from her face.

"What's that for?" Sam asked.

"For this," she answered. Julia kissed him long and deep, and the Town car rose in the air behind her.

"Whoa!" Sam broke away from the kiss, staring at the car. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated, slowly placing it back on the ground.

"I taught her everything she knows," Dean said. Julia slid off Sam, and he noticed she had a bloody nose. She quickly wiped it.

Sam looked at her warily. "I saw that," he said with concern. "Let's break for the day, okay?"

"Nope, nope," Dean interjected. "We need more practice. Orbs."

Julia stomped her foot and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Dean, those are so hard," she pouted.

"You'll thank me for it later," Dean said. He motioned for her to practice with a few fingers held up from the side of his beer bottle. "Let's go."

Julia smiled at Sam, and returned to her spot in front of Dean. She stood with her back to them, feet slightly spread, palms together in front of her chest. Her head was lowered for a moment, then the brothers saw her shoulders raise with a deep breath of concentration. Julia slowly spread her palms apart, revealing a small, glowing circle of light and power. As she spread her hands further apart, the orb grew in size and strength.

Sam could feel the push of power from the orb against his chest, even though he was standing twenty feet behind Julia. The air was filled with a static electricity that stood every hair on his arms on end.

This was the strongest one yet. Even Dean stood up from his lawn chair to back away, finally standing next to his brother.

"She's getting good," Dean reassured Sam.

Julia gave the orb a slight toss away from her body and into the air. It dissipated almost instantly with a deep popping sound, and the electrical charge in the air disappeared.

Sam didn't realize he had been holding his breath. He let it out loudly. Dean glanced at him. Julia turned towards them, smiling.

"It's getting better, more controlled," she stated.

Both brothers nodded, speechless. She looked at them both.

"Well, say something. You two are making me feel like a freak," she lamented. These practices were always a strange mix of emotions for her – the power made her feel omnipotent. Yet fearful. Her body was tired from the effort of the constant control, but exhilarated and rejuvenated by the force she harbored in her mind.

"Beers are on me," Dean offered.

She nodded, and then tagged Sam on the arm.

"You're it!" she teased and took off running. Though she got a head start, Julia heard Sam come up behind her quickly and make a swipe at her shirt, trying to grab it. She laughed and screamed and burst forward, jumping up onto the front porch, through the screen door, and up the stairs to her room. She tried to shut the door on Sam, but he was too quick and strong, and flung it open, grabbing her and tossing her onto the bed. He covered her with his body, hands caressing her hair and her face.

"I'm too tired," Julia teased. Sam bit her ear and unbuckled the belt on her jeans.

"Then I'll do all the work," he replied.

* * *

It was 2 a.m., and Julia's belly was rumbling. She and Rain had missed dinner, staying in the room all evening and eventually falling asleep. Julia slipped quietly out of bed and headed towards the kitchen.

She yanked the fridge door open, hearing the bottles balanced on top of the appliance jingle quietly. She grabbed the ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and glanced out of the kitchen window. Julia froze. She could see the silhouette of a figure was sitting on the Bronco, facing away from her. It wasn't Rain, he was upstairs. It didn't have the build for Dean or Bobby. Julia squinted her eyes. Clouds moved away from the moon, revealing a dark smoldering figure, its shadowy form having shape, but no shape. It was the black demon.

"Julia_, Julia_!" Sam was shaking her awake. She opened her eyes, looking at his worried face. Dean burst into the room, gun in hand.

"What the hell is going on?" he shouted.

Sam held up a reassuring hand. "It's okay, just a bad dream. Sorry, dude."

Dean left, closing the door and muttering. Julia gasped for air, trying to shake off the dream. "A dream?" she asked. "Are you sure? No one is here?"

"No, no one is here, Julia. Just a dream, okay?"

She gulped and nodded, rubbing her eyes. _Just a dream_.

"What time is it?"

"About two in the morning. Close your eyes."

Julia nodded and turned over, waiting for Sam to fall back to sleep. When she heard his deep breaths, indicating slumber, she quietly crept out of bed and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, she avoided looking out the window until she had the peanut butter and bread in her hands. She slowly raised her eyes to the Bronco….but there was no one there. _Stupid, this is stupid_, she chastised herself. _Maybe Dean is right, I'm paranoid. I'm going to tell Rain to pack the car –_ she turned to place the bread on the table, and came face to face with the black demon.

Julia was frozen with fear. She didn't breath, she didn't blink. Her mind felt shut down – she couldn't scream, she couldn't use her powers. The black of the demon's shadow form curled like a thick smoke in front of her eyes. Its face had no form, no nose or mouth, no eyes. It was just a evil monster, pure evil. It seemed to study her, even bowing its head to look at the jar in her hands curiously. Julia opened her fingers and let the peanut butter drop; the heavy glass made a loud popping noise in the quiet kitchen. The form started for an instant, and Julia took that to her advantage and darted past it and out the door.

Something hard hit her in the back of the head, and she stumbled down onto the ground. It was a coffee cup from the kitchen. The demon stepped out onto Bobby's porch, watching as Julia struggled to her feet. It lunged towards her, and Julia finally found the will to scream.

Sam stretched and rolled over, seeking the cool sheets on Julia's side of the bed. In his half-sleep, he thought he heard a sound – like glass breaking. He opened his eyes, listening. The screen door slammed….and Julia screamed. Sam leapt out of bed, grabbing clothes on the way, and ran downstairs. Dean followed him, gun again in hand.

"Tell me this is not another bad dream," Dean said.

The brothers ran outside, just in time to see the black demon duck behind a car.

"Son of a bitch!" shouted Dean. "Julia!"

Sam looked around the salvage yard, scanning it for any sign of her. "Julia!

Bobby joined them, handing Sam a gun and loading up his own with the demon knife bullets. Wordlessly, all three ventured slowly into the salvage yard.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

Sam's feet crunched softly on the ground. Every sound seemed to echo loudly in the gathering morning light. His fingers gripped and re-gripped the shotgun carefully. His eyes scanned the yard, hoping to find a glimpse of blonde hair. Both Julia and the black demon were hiding somewhere in Bobby's salvage yard. Sam worriedly realized they were unprepared for the demon's attack. The plan had been to seek it out at the rocks in Moyie Springs – they had not anticipated it would regain strength this quickly and track Julia to Bobby's house.

Sam stopped mid-stride and listened carefully. Although there was no breeze, he heard the sound of rustling leaves behind him – he swung quickly and fired. The blast echoed through the still dawn.

The black demon dodged the shot and leaped behind an aging minivan. Immediately the entire vehicle rose from the ground and was flung towards Sam. Sam gave a shout and jumped out of the way, rolling onto the ground and crawling behind a pile of tires.

"Dean, Bobby! Over here!" The van landed with a crash, rolling onto its roof. Glass shattered and metal squealed. Dean turned the corner, coming up behind the exposed demon and getting off a shot. Its form dissipated for a moment, then reformed several feet away. It flung its arm out at Dean, but the Winchester flung himself to the ground beside his brother before its force could reach him.

Julia climbed onto the roof of the car behind him.

"_You don't have power here, Demon! I won't allow it_!" she shouted, eyes blazing white. The frame of a car lifted behind her and over her head, hovering for a moment. With a sudden motion, Julia flung it at the form of the demon. For a moment the demon disappeared from view, but then its shadow-like form lifted up through the wreckage.

Bobby turned the corner now, firing his gun at its form, then scuttled towards Sam and Dean.

"What's that damn thing doing here?" Bobby exclaimed. The three ducked down as Julia sent another car flying across the yard. It landed with a crash, and she flung out her hand, pushing the car across the dirt, hoping to smear the demon trapped under it.

For a moment it was quiet, and all of them watched the car Julia was pushing come to a stop. It rose suddenly and was tossed like a toy by the demon back towards Julia. She leapt off the car roof and fell to the ground, coming quickly to her feet and running deep into the salvage yard.

"This yard is just a big playground of weapons for these two," Bobby exclaimed.

"Shit," muttered Dean, his eyes scanning the yard. "We need a plan."

"Our best weapons right now are the bullets…and the demon knife," offered Bobby.

"That's not a plan," muttered Dean.

"Yeah, but right now, that's all we got."

"It's back at the house – I'll go get it," said Sam. He ran in between cars towards Bobby's house, eyes darting for any sign of Julia or the black demon. He ran upstairs to her room and pulled the knife out from under their bed. It was still loosely wrapped in one of his shirts and he shook it out onto the bed. Sam eyed the knife for a moment, breathing hard. He thought for a moment of leaving it there, gleaming in the early dawn's sunlight. The fear of bringing the weapon that may kill Julia gave him great pause. He finally grasped it and shoved it through his belt loop.

Sam grabbed his duffel bag and turned it upside down. He threw the bag aside and frantically searched through its contents now on the floor, finally coming up with what he was looking for. Julia's crucifix dangled delicately from his fingers. He shoved it into his front pocket and ran outside.

_I'm coming, Julia…._His footsteps faltered as he saw the Lincoln Town car in his mind. He switched directions and headed to the car. Sam slowed his pace before he reached the car, dropping and crawling on his hands and knees behind junked parts and peeking out at the Town car. He felt a hand on his shoulder, light and soft. It was Julia.

"You okay?" he asked. He handed her the knife.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Rain." She smiled nervously, her eyes glowing white. Dean and Bobby came up behind them. Dean handed his brother a handful of shotgun shells.

"Demon knife shells?" asked Sam. Dean nodded.

Julia crouched on the ground, resting the knife on her knees. She closed her eyes, thinking. "If I get the black demon inside me again, the demon knife will send it away – for two hundred years."

The three men were silent, watching her. Julia was calm, her voice low and steady. "From what I've read, all the hunters thought they had to kill the white demon, too. But I beg to differ."

"What do you mean?" asked Dean.

"I mean, that if the black demon is in me, maybe just another shoulder shot will scare it away," she replied.

"Julia, it might kill you, too –," Sam said.

"It won't. I know it won't. Dean, the second that thing goes in me, don't hesitate." She handed him the knife. "You've done it before, brother, will you do it for me again?"

Dean glanced at Sam, who grimly nodded. "Son of a bitch," he said reluctantly. "I'll do it, Julia."

"The shoulder, Dean," Sam reminded him.

Bobby spoke up. "Okay. Let's head to the edge of the yard, where there are fewer cars, less hiding places. It more open, so we can all keep an eye on Julia. Let's draw it out, and Julia, you work your magic. Good luck, hon."

Bobby and Dean headed off, and Sam clutched Julia's shoulder.

"Hey," he said. She blinked rapidly, but her eyes still glowed. Sam held out his hand. Her misshapen crucifix dangled from his outstretched fingers.

"Oh," she said, taking it from him. She studied it for a moment, thinking. Slowly closing her fingers around it, and Sam heard her whisper a fervent prayer. Unclenching her fist, the cross lay in her open palm, slowly unbending to return to its original shape.

"Thank you," Julia kissed Sam tenderly, touching his cheek. Her fingers burned his skin, but he didn't pull away.

"Please, be careful," he whispered. She nodded, and together they followed Bobby and Dean.

The three men took shelter behind a pile of tires. Julia stood in the middle of the clearing, arms outstretched.

"Remember me?" she shouted. "I'm a little smarter, now, demon. And I'm not afraid. This ends here and now, today!"

There was silence.

"_Procedo, procedo, qua umquam vos es!"_ Julia taunted.

"What the hell does that mean?" whispered Dean to his brother. Castiel appeared behind him and Dean jolted in surprise. Dean clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. "Dammit, Cas!"

The angel ignored him. "It's an ancient incantation to draw a demon out of hiding," Cas said.

Sam opened his eyes wide in amazement. "Cas, she just said, 'come out, come out, where ever you are'!"

"Right," Cas agreed.

"Shhh!" admonished Bobby.

They watched as Julia spun around, hearing that familiar rustling of leaves sound. The black demon stepped out into the clearing, then stood and raised its arms above its head until its hands almost touched. A small, dark orb appeared between its palms. The orb seemed to swirl and dance, and small lightning bolts of power danced inside it.

"Looks like it's bringing out the big guns," said Dean, adding some curses under his breath.

Sam saw Julia take a step back. He knew she was not very skilled using the orbs, and to see the black demon create one so quickly, he knew, had taken her aback.

Julia felt fear creep into her heart. The demon was more powerful than before, she was certain. _I am more __powerful, too, _she pushed to the demon. In reply, she received a loud static in her head, which she promptly blocked out. The wave inside her rose and grew, pushing out to every part of her body. Her hands grew hot and glowed bright. Julia sensed a new feeling inside her – the parts of the white demon inside her were awake and alive. She had a sudden premonition of looking down and seeing herself standing on the shoulders of the white demon before her. That white demon was standing on the one before, and so on, for thousands of years. Their power, their knowledge, was hers. She raised her arms, mirroring the black demon, and likewise an orb was generated between her palms, soft and white. The air around them was charged with electricity.

But the black demon was faster. It tossed its orb, carefully aimed, at Julia's feet. She saw it coming towards her, but before she could react, the orb landed and exploded, knocking her back off her feet. The orb between her own hands slipped out of her grasp, and also landed, sending Julia back even further. Each orb left a four-foot crater in the ground. She slumped to the ground.

Sand and dirt rained down on the men and the angel. Sam jumped to his feet, but Dean quickly grabbed his jacket and pulled him to the right as the demon flung a fifty-pound car battery at Sam's head. It whizzed by his ear. Julia lay motionless on the ground, twenty feet away, her back towards them.

"_Julia!" _Sam shouted. Wordlessly, the brothers knew what to do. Dean ran out from behind his shelter of the tire pile, waving the demon knife.

"Hey – hey! Over here!" Dean distracted the demon, which turned towards him for a split second. Sam dashed out from the tires in the other direction, towards Julia.

Neither one of them was fast enough. The demon picked up the front end of car, bumper to dashboard, and heaved it at Sam.

"Sammy!" Dean cried. Sam fell to the ground, dodging the car, but the front bumper landed on one of his legs. He cried out in anguish, not so much from the pain, but the fact that Julia was just a few feet out of his grasp.

Sam reached towards Julia, clawing at the ground and kicking with the bumper of the car with his free foot. He managed to free part of his leg, but some part of the car latched onto his ankle. The pain from his ankle, trapped under the car, was excruciating, but he hardly noticed. Julia was now only inches away. The demon walked in between Sam and Julia's unconscious form. Its shadowy foot stepped on Sam's outreached hand, and Sam howled in agony. An icy, deep cold permeated his hand and Sam withdrew it, clutching it to his chest.

Sam looked around anxiously. "Dean! Bobby!"

There was no response. The demon looked down at Sam. Sam, in return, looked up at its shadowy, malicious form.

"What do you want?" Sam shouted to it. "Take me, take me, but leave her alone!"

The demon turned its attention to Julia.

"Wake up! Julia!" Sam screamed to her. The demon stepped over her form and looked down at her, then raised its arms above its head. Another dark orb appeared between its palms. As Sam watched, the demon spread his hands, and the orb grew. It slowly encompassed the demon's arms and head, its body, and spread onto the ground, finally encircling Julia. Julia still did not move.

"_No!"_

Sam leaned over to his foot, and with all his might, lifted the front end of the car off his ankle and freed it. Unable to stand, he crawled to the edge of the orb and placed his hand on its surface. Immediately his body was filled with electrical jolts. White sparks filled his vision – he felt his brother's hands pull him away from the orb.

"Sammy!"

"Dean, she's in there!"

The two of them could barely see through the gray cloudy surface of the sphere, but Sam saw Julia slowly sit up and shake her head. The demon stood above her, engrossed in the creation of the orb around them. Julia turned to Sam and held up her hand, showing him the crucifix dangling from her fingers. The silver of the cross began to glow. She offered Sam a sad, half-smile, and then quickly stood up. Her body flashed a stunning white as she punched that hand into the black demon's chest. Sam shouted, but a high pitched humming filled the air. The brothers looked up and around, feeling a change around them, uncertain.

Dean grabbed his brother. The air crackled with electricity.

"Sammy, I think it's gonna blow!" Sam gasped from the pain shooting from his ankle, but Dean pulled his brother's arm over his shoulders and together they ran. The blast still caught them, and lifted them off their feet, flying for a moment then landing as rocks and metal parts rained around them.

Sam raised himself onto his hands and knees as soon as he could, his ankle throbbing and his ears ringing. He turned to his brother, who was holding his head with a bloodied hand.

The two brothers looked at each other, stunned.

Together they hobbled back to the clearing. The entire area had become a large, shallow crater, scorched black. There was no sign of Julia, Castiel, or the black demon.

Sam spotted Bobby crawl out from an overturned minivan. "Bobby!"

"I'm okay – what the hell was that explosion?"

"It was Julia – she pushed her crucifix into the demon's chest – ," Sam was utterly exhausted. His mouth could barely form the words. His only thought was that Julia had died in that blast and he hadn't been able to tell her good bye – a sudden whoosh sound behind them indicated the return of Castiel. Julia lay in the angel's arms.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

Castiel fell to his knees. Dean leapt forward and grabbed Julia from the angel's now limp arms.

"Com'on, Cas," Bobby encouraged, helping him up. The angel appeared dazed, but he didn't take his eyes from Julia. "I was able to jump in and grab her the moment the orb exploded. I thought I could grab her in time to save her, Sam. I'm sorry." He wiped away blood that began to drip from his nose.

"Everyone inside," Bobby said, guiding Cas towards the house while offering a shoulder to Sam. Sam only wanted to hold Julia, but with his ankle injured, he let Dean bring her back to Bobby's house as he limped behind. He watched as her now bare feet shook with each step that Dean took, and her blonde hair, now scorched and shorter, swayed over his shoulder.

Inside, the Dean lay Julia down on the couch. Sam sat on the floor next to her, looking at her in disbelief. Again, he was shocked that she was able to survive the blast, but she was in far worse shape than after their battle in the forest. She was breathing shallowly, her eyes half open. Her ears and the tips of her nose were blackened and burned, as were her fingertips and toes. The hand that she had plunged into the demon's chest was charred and bloody. Blood leaked from her nose and ears. Her clothes were shredded and a thousand tiny cuts covered her body as if she had been hit by a shower of fine glass.

"Jesus," Dean said quietly. Bobby ran for his medical kit.

"Can you heal her?" Sam pleaded to Cas. The angel wavered unsteadily and Dean caught him and helped him into one of Bobby's chairs.

"I think that took everything out of him, Sammy," Dean told him.

Sam turned to Julia, who began to moan.

"Hey, hey, Julia….It's Rain, I'm right here….," he murmured, stroking her hair. She coughed and yelped at the pain. Sam fought back tears. _If I could take all this pain away for you I would…_

Julia blinked and looked at Sam with clear blue eyes. "I know," she replied to his thoughts. "But I did it, Rain. It's gone." Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

"Don't talk, okay? We're gonna get you to a hospital, get you all fixed up, okay?" Sam tried to keep his voice controlled, but an edge of panic crept in.

Julia raised her bloodied hand, wincing at the effort. "Thank for this, Rain. This is what did it."

Sam noticed that the crucifix and its silver chain were still wound around her fingers, but now deeply imbedded into the skin. Bobby leaned forward with some bandages, but she turned her head and waved him away.

"The black demon is gone now. There's no more use for me anymore."

Sam sobbed and the tears streamed down his face. "Julia, I need you. I need that life with you, that life we always talked about….please, Julia, we'll –,"

She closed her eyes tightly and gasped, her face clenched in pain. Sam could feel a sudden heat exude from her and he withdrew his hands. She turned and looked at him, her eyes blazing white.

_I can't control it anymore, Rain, _she thought to him. She cried out wordlessly, her body twisting in pain. Her hands glowed white. She coughed, blood spilling from her mouth, and then her body relaxed. Her blue eyes reappeared.

"I have a gift for you," she whispered. Tears leaked from her eyes and she began to sob with Sam. "We'll have that life, Rain, you'll see."

"I promised I wouldn't let anything hurt you. I was supposed to take care of you, Julia. I'm so sorry, Julia, I'm so, so sorry…," his words slipped into cries of anguish. He dropped his chin to his chest.

Julia raised her hand and one finger began to glow. She moved it towards Sam's forehead. "That life…," she whispered to Sam.

Cas struggled forward, raising a warning hand. "You cannot do that, demon," he admonished.

Dean, sensing danger, grabbed the back of Sam's shirt and jerked him backwards, out of Julia's reach. Her hand dropped into the empty air, and the glow from her finger climbed up her arm and up to her head. She cried out, sobbing and moaning, as the white radiance engulfed her body and a high whining sound could be heard.

Dean and Cas held Sam back as he tried to reach her, and they all threw their hands up in front of their eyes as Julia's body flashed. Slowly the light receded, and Sam lunged onto the couch, placing his hands around her face, looking beseechingly at her now still form.

Julia's eyes were closed, her face revealing a final, resting peace.


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

Sam tossed his duffel bag into the trunk of the Impala and slammed it closed. Dean looked at him from across the vehicle's long, low roof.

"You ready?" he asked his brother.

"Yeah," answered Sam for the eighth time, forcing a half-smile. "I'm ready, and I'm okay. I want to get on the road again, Dean. It's what she would have wanted."

It had been four weeks since Julia died. Dean looked worriedly at his brother, and then nodded. Sam had been keeping pretty much to himself these past weeks, and Dean had let him have his space. Bobby's house had been a dark, quiet place since Julia's death.

_Time to get back on the road,_ Dean had told his brother. _It'll be good for all of us._

"Okay. Let's go," said Dean.

Bobby grunted as he sipped his coffee on his porch. "Be careful," he said distantly. His eyes were on the Bronco sitting in his front yard. Bobby knew that when they pulled out of the driveway, his home was going to be a lonely place for awhile. But Bobby had taken upon the task of carefully printing Julia's notes and diary into the white demon journal, and he had that to keep him busy.

The Winchesters pulled out, giving Bobby one last wave.

"Where to?" Sam asked, flexing his newly healed ankle.

Dean tossed him a packet of newspaper clippings. "A banshee outside of Dallas. Looks like fun."

The Impala turned onto the smooth road and Dean pressed down on the accelerator. Sam took a deep breath and turned to his brother.

"Dean, do you think Julia was trying to tell me something? Right before she died? Remember she said something about another life?"

Dean took a hand off the steering wheel and rubbed his face. Leave it to Sam to use their first few minutes back in the Impala to talk about Julia. He was glad Sam was finally talking, but this was a difficult conversation. He chose his words carefully.

"She was kind of out of it. Really hurt and in shock….I don't know if she knew what she was saying."

"She gave me some kind of vision back in the hospital. More than a dream – like a whole other life. We had kids, Dean, a house...," his voice trailed off to a whisper.

"I was afraid she was going to hurt you, Sammy. Her hand was glowing, her power was all over the place, and she was trying to touch you - ," Dean glanced over at his brother.

"Yeah." Sam nodded and pretended to look at the clipping Dean had given him. The words blurred through his tears.

The brothers were quiet, listening only to the rough drone of the engine and the wind whistling through Sam's open window. He pushed his hair back with his hand, still trying to imagine returning to Bobby's house without Julia running out to meet him, long blonde hair flowing, sweet kisses, and wide smile. Her hands in his hair, frowning at its length. She would grab his hand and walk with him, looking up at him with big, blue eyes, talking, getting him away from that last case, from that supernatural world.

Sam felt water splash his face as raindrops slipped through his open window. He leaned forward and wound the window up as Dean turned on the windshield wipers. The road stretched out before them.

"Looks like the rain's gonna follow us all the way to Dallas," Dean said.

"I like rain," Sam replied.

_I know._

* * *

_If you were loyal to myself and my story, you've read THE WHITE DEMON from beginning to end, and I thank you so much. I can only hope this story offers some inspiration to you, in writing or in life, as it has done so much for me. Life is the ultimate journey._


End file.
